Choices: The Sequel to Weathering With You
by Puterboy1
Summary: Hodaka sets out to reclaim both Tokyo and Hina. But now, he is beginning to wonder if he made the right choice in sealing Tokyo's fate, how will he cope when he finds out that he's an ame-otoko, and what new joys, frustrations, and adventures does the future hold? *Based on Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley*
1. Leaving the Island

Today was a day of celebration and mourning. All of this had happened on the island of Kozushima in March 2024.

_This will be over soon, and then I can go home, my real home, in Tokyo. _

Hodaka Morishima stood alone, a few steps away from the other mourners at Obasan Morishima's burial. It was raining, as it had always been since he prevented Hina's sacrifice two and a half years ago and the black-clad men and women held black umbrellas over their heads. They leaned on one another, the women weeping, sharing shelter and grief.

Hodaka had just come back from his high school graduation ceremony when he received the news. The gusts of wind within the rain blew stinging cold wet rivulets under the umbrella, down his neck, but he was unaware of them. He felt nothing, he was numbed by loss. But not the loss of his father's mother, but the loss of everyone he left behind in Tokyo. His grandmother, whom he had only known for a few special occasions was said to be the wisest woman on the island. But even though he didn't feel any emotional connection to her, he wanted to ask her if he made the right choice about running away and hurting his family emotionally. But since he never bothered to ask, he felt only misery.

_This will be over soon, and then I can go find Hina. Maybe she can tell me._

"… ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"

The minister's voice penetrated the shell of numbness, the words registered.

Hodaka's head jerked to one side, denying the open grave, the plain pine box being lowered into it. There were small half circles sunk into the soft wood, marks of the hammers that had driven in the nails to close the lid above Oba-chan's gentle, loving, heart-shaped face that wrinkled over a hundred and four years of life.

Hodaka looked at the people surrounding the grave, and hot anger surged through him. _None of them care about my problems as much as I myself do. Their lives are so simple and complacent it's making me sick, why else would I leave them and my parents? My father was the cause of my life's destruction and in spite of everything I did back in Tokyo, Hina is the only thing left of me in that wreckage. This awful day will be over soon and I can be away from here. Forever._

Hodaka lifted his chin, his teeth clenched to stop their chattering from the cold, to hold back the choking in his throat. His thoughts seem to be degenerating back to his 16-year-old self, before he returned home and saw his island in a different light. He had felt so chained down by his father and his school back then, but when he came back, home and school became natural places to live. He managed to suppress these thoughts, holding them back as he watched the pallbearers lower his grandmother into the wet and muddy earth. At this point, the rain would have filled up a tiny quarter of the grave.

His parents stood closest to the grave. His father, tall and thin and colorless, his pale dark hair now almost gray, his pale stricken face as empty as his staring, unseeing yellow eyes that he had passed on to his son. He stood erect, his stance a salute, the inheritance of his years as a man of good family and virtue. He stood motionless, without sensation or comprehension. His mother, holding the right side of his body stroked his hair and whispered sweet nothings into his ear. She looked like a tragic geisha, all in black. Her face was hidden by a veil and the wind gently blew against it.

It was his father who broke the solemnity.

"Okasan! Don't leave me! Don't leave me, Okasan!"

He was teetering on the edge of the grave, his wife struggling to pull him back up.

Hodaka may not have liked his father, even after he had softened up when he came home from his three-month getaway to Tokyo, but he couldn't bear to see him like this. Maybe at this phase of grief, he would be patient enough to hear his voice for a change.

"Otousan, stop!" he shouted. "Otousan!" He began to run, slipping and sliding on the wet grass. The umbrella he had thrown aside scudded across the ground, pushed by the wind until it was trapped in the mounds of flowers. He grabbed his father around the waist, tried to pull him away from the danger. He fought him.

"Otousan, don't!" Hodaka struggled against his strength. "Oba-chan can't help you now." His voice was harsh, to cut through his father's unhearing, demented grief.

"Let me alone!"

With that shout, his father's right hand swung at Hodaka's right cheek, slapping it and shoving him to the ground, drawing some gasps from the other mourners and a "Will you control yourself?!" from the minister.

Hodaka just sat there, stunned as he smoothed the surface of the slapped area. Smoothing it seemed to ring some distant bells into his memory as he remembered another reason why he ran away. He stood back up, looking at his father, who was lifted erect by his wife, with eyes of calm anger.

"You can go now, Morshima-kun," said his principal, standing opposite of the casket. "I only hope you won't cause us any more damage like that stunt you pulled two and a half years ago. Now that you're a graduate, my only hope is that you will make the right decision in the future."

"You're right, sensei. After today, this will be the last time I will ever see any of you again."

He had to get to Tokyo, he had to. Hina was there. Hina would put her arms around him, Hina would hold him close, cradle his head over her shoulder where he'd sobbed out all his childhood hurts. He could cry in Hina's arms, cry himself empty of pain; he could rest his head on Hina's lap, rest his wounded heart on Hina's love. Hina would hold him and love him, would share his pain and help him erase the memory of the father and the school that troubled him so much in the first sixteen years of his life.

His probation had ended. His terms at high school had ended. And his life with his parents was coming to an end as well. He didn't even bother to reminiscence when he walked back to his house alone. He just went straight to his room and gathered his things, emptying the drawers of what he considered were the most important and packed them in a small trunk.

"I suppose I could pack the black wool merino; it's going to be colder," said Hodaka to himself. He stared at the open wardrobe. Black wool, white silk, red cotton, tan twill, green velvet, blue jeans, brown shorts, and white trainers. He could go on mourning for the rest of his days. Mourning for Hina still, and now mourning for any of his other friends besides his grandmother. But today was also the day that he was officially a free man.

_I should find something darker than black, something more mournful to wear to mourn for myself. But who am I kidding, I've got to wear something impressive when I see Hina again._

So Hodaka picked out an outfit that he considered appropriate, a black-blue hoodie with white strings, a white shirt, blue jeans and his white trainers, certain that Hina would recognize him with these types of clothes.

He went to the mirror in the bathroom to wash up and he smiled back at his reflection. He was no longer a boy being pushed around by his father and several silly classmates, but a free man who was now legally old enough to do what he wanted.

And so he took his bike from the shed, hooked his suitcase onto the back and left the house, a house of mourning that used to be a house of despair where he only ate meals that were healthy, raw and simple, not at all like the McDonalds in the city where he met Hina. Hodaka pedaled his way down the road and he never bothered once to look back or return to his parents in the graveyard. Now he had another reason to leave this place for good; he was giving his father all the time he needed to grieve. And his mother, while an understandable spirit to his own needs, needed to comfort him.

The streets that met at the docks were a quagmire. Cars and buses and trucks were sunk in mud. Their drivers cursed the rain, the streets, their cars, the other drivers in their way. There was shouting and the sound of horns honking, and the noise of people. There were always crowds of people at the docks whenever tourists came to Kozushima, people hurrying, arguing, complaining, laughing. For the quiet years that came and went after he returned home, Hodaka began to see that the adults on the island were imperfect, just like him. But even after he made more friends in high school and his grades went up thanks to his understanding of how to be an obedient student, he still had Hina on his mind.

But not today. Today the traffic was in his way, Kozushima was holding him back. The _Sarubia-Maru_ was already there, looking just as it appeared in his memory, two and a half-years ago, when he ran away. And it looked like she was already getting to leave.

_I've got to make that boat, I'll die if I miss it, I've got to get to Hina and Nagi or I'll break down._

His bike was strong, skillful, and the best that money could buy. Nothing better get in his way, nothing.

He made the boat with time to spare.

There was a loud blast of the horn. Hodaka held his breath, listening for the first clunking revolution of the engines that meant the ship was moving. There it was. Then another. And another. And the rattling, shaking of the superstructure.

He was on his way at last.


	2. The Flooded City

_Only five miles to Tokyo now. Soon I'll be with Hina again!_

Hodaka was as silent as most of the passengers on the long voyage to Tokyo, drinking in the hustle and bustle of the big city, refreshing himself with it. The air was rain-washed, and the afternoon sun, hidden from the clouds, was warm on his shoulders. He'd been right to come here. Tokyo would give him the sanctuary he needed, and with Hina he'd be able to find a way to repair his ruined world. He leaned forward on the open deck as they turned onto the familiar harbor, smiling in anticipation.

But when the city came in sight, he let out a cry of despair. "What's happened to the city? It's looking half submerged." The Rainbow Bridge was underwater and only four pillars projected from the ocean. The many boxes scattered across the water's surface like blocks were the tops of buildings that hadn't been submerged completely.

_Oh right, the rain._

At this point, one-third of Tokyo was underwater. The city's drainage functions had been overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion and it seemed that the only way to travel was by motorboat. Cars and trains still ran through the city tough, on areas that the Pacific Ocean didn't reach.

_No wonder the traffic was bad at the docks back home. My island has become a refugee for homeless people! If only I could tell them how I felt, but they wouldn't believe me._

He got off and went to find an apartment nearby the university where he was planning to study in the Department of Agriculture. In this day and age, finding dry land was important, not that there were too many students living there since they migrated west. Funny thing, the 100% Sunshine Girl website was still up, as he had confirmed when checking it on his phone out of curiosity. After putting away some of his clothes from his suitcase in a drawer, he decided to find another soul that very certain to have stayed in the city even after all this time: Keisuke Suga.

The answering machine of K&A Planning's phone number led him to the new address. Which was in an apartment someplace in the higher levels of the city.

Keisuke Suga, Hodaka's employer, was waiting outside, wearing the same tight old shirt. It was a shock to see Suga; the first few seconds were always a shock. Hodaka genuinely loved and respected Suga as if he was the father he always wanted. After returning to the island, no matter soft his own father had gotten, he wished that he could have been more like Suga.

"Suga-san!" He walked toward him, in his special inebriated way. He threw his arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

Suga accepted his embrace without emotion. "I'm glad to see you, too, Hodaka. It's been a long time."

"Too long. It's shameful. I've spent two and a half years on probation."

"You'll be glad to know that K&A Planning is a proper editing agency. My daughter is living with me, Natsumi and my wife's parents, but nothing's official yet. Want to visit them?"

"Sure."

About a few minutes later, the door to the house flew open, and the porch filled with people. Natsumi stood in front, holding an apron in her arms above the swollen belly that strained the seams of her faded cotton tank top. Her coat had fallen down over one arm. Hodaka forced a gaiety he didn't feel. "Good Lord, Suga, is Natsumi having a baby? You're going to have to build on some more rooms."

Her husband, Wadashi, a man of strong arms, chuckled. "We hope it's a boy." He lifted a hand in greeting to his father-in-law and his niece.

Hodaka waved too, wishing he'd thought to buy some toys to bring to Nagi and Moka. He looked at all of them. Moka was there, Suga's mother-in-law was there after her house got washed away by the flood. Now she had no choice but to live with the difficult man who brought the curse of death upon her family name. Her husband, Suga's wife's father, was out buying groceries. But where was Nagi? Hodaka called out to the little girl. "Hello, Moka-kun." Then he turned back to Suga, looking worried.

"Where's Nagi, Suga? It couldn't be like he was angry with me after what happened years ago." Fear pinched the words in Hodaka's throat.

"Nagi-kun's been sick in bed with a nasty cold," said Natsumi. "He's been there for two whole days. We've fixed him up in one of the spare rooms."

Hodaka was at the door to Nagi's sickroom, holding on to the framework for support.

That boy lying there in the bed was no longer the energetic boy he had come to see as a brother figure. It was replaced by a creature who was as thin as a promise, with snow-white skin, black hair that had darkend over the age and eyes that were closed and weak.

Then he heard Nagi's voice. Thin and halting, but Nagi's sweet, loving voice. "Onēsan, I told you I don't want to embarrass myself in front of the other girls…"

"Nagi-kun!" Hodaka fell to his knees beside the bed. "Nagi-kun, it's Hodaka. I'm back. Please wake up." He put his head down on the bed beside the bony thin shoulders and wept stormily, like a child.

A weightless hand smoothed his bent head. "Don't cry, Hodaka. I guess I was out in the cold too long."

"I might have guessed," Hodaka wailed. "Everything's gone wrong with the weather since I saved your sister. You might be too young to ask me this, but…do you think I made the right choice?"

"Hush, now. No need for speaking. You saved my sister. That's all that matters."

He coughed, lifting his head up by two inches before resting it back down on the pillow.

"I love you, Nagi. There's no telling what will happened if you died or something."

He spent all the time he could in Nagi's room, at Nagi's side. He had fastened all his hopes on the comfort of Hina's arms around him, but now it was his strong young arms that held the sickly boy. Hodaka brought Nagi some cough drops, some soup, hot water for his forehead. He sang to Nagi a couple of RADWIMPS songs in the form of a lullaby. But Nagi would no longer hear of it, he didn't want to be treated like a baby anymore.

Then, after an hour had passed, Nagi woke. "Why are you crying?" he whispered. "Is it because I am sick? It's just a cold, it's not like I'm dying or anything." His hand stirred in Hodaka's, freed itself, stroked Hodaka's bent head. "Hush, now. Nothing's so bad as you think."

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I just can't stop crying because I am happy to see you were all right…did Suga-san take you in while I was gone?"

"Yeah, he did. Adoption papers and everything." Nagi's bent fingers pushed Hodaka's front lock away from his face. "Tell me what's troubling you, Hodaka-san."

Hodaka looked into the sad, cute, loving eyes and felt the most profound pain he had ever known. "I've come back to see how everyone has been doing. I turned 18 last week, I graduated and everything. But I feel like I've done everything wrong, Nagi. I don't know how I could have made so many mistakes. I don't understand. I'm even beginning to question myself."

"Hodaka-san, you done what you had to do. Nobody does more than that. God sent you some heavy burdens, and you carried them. What's done is done. Don't fret yourself now." Nagi's heavy eyelids closed over tears that glistened in the dim light, and his ragged breathing slowed in sleep.

"How can I not fret?" Hodaka wanted to shout. "I'm free from the island, but my heart doesn't feel any lighter, and I don't know what to do. I need Hina, and she's gone. Do you know where she is?"

"All you have to do is follow your heart," Nagi said, his eyes directed at the ceiling.

_Follow my heart?_ Hodaka lifted his head, wiped the tears away and walked out of the room.

Every exhausted, frightened part of his body cried out that he should give up, stay where he was, hugging the safety of the unseen ground beneath him until the rain subsided, if it ever did, and he could go out without an umbrella. But Nagi needed warmth. And only a small hint of the cheering yellow light of the sun was peeking out through the clouds.

Hodaka brought himself slowly to his knees and probed his head. Surely, he had never considered his vow to want Hina more than any other blue sky to be such a childish, cheesy romantic choice of words. Could he compromise between the warmth of the sun, or the wet cold air of the rain? He was gasping for breath, his mind not functioning properly. Where was the sun? Where was the blue sky? Maybe his prayer two and a half years ago was the cause of all this. Maybe there is a god…or maybe there is a person in this world just like Hina whose weather-bending powers brought the rain instead of the sun.

His fingers brushed across cold metal of the walls. Hodaka scrabbled along on his knees toward the front door, then both hands were clasping the ridged corners of the walls. He sat on his behind, clasping his hands to his chest in a desperate embrace.

_Oh Lord, I'm all turned around now. I don't even know where Hina is, much less know the whereabouts. Maybe I could ask someone._ He looked up frantically, in the living room, hoping that someone could give him the answer. Natsumi and Suga were too busy preparing lunch in the kitchen, Moka was too young to know the whole city and Suga's mother-in-law didn't seem to care.

For a moment he wanted to cry out, to scream and scream until he attracted someone in the house, someone who would help him find Hina, who'd come find her and lead him to her. His pride forbid it. Lost in his own dreams and doubts, only a few steps from the front door!

He drew a deep breath into his lungs and began to crawl clumsily on hands and knees across the cold floor. Sooner or later he'd be running into the streets, looking for all the old places—the McDonalds, the shrine, the hotel, the building where they watched the fireworks—and he'd get his bearings. He was starting to realize that it would be quicker for him to get up and walk. He wouldn't feel like such a fool, either. But he might fall again, and this time twist his ankle or something. Then he'd be helpless until someone found him in the open streets of the city. No matter what he had to do, anything was better than lying alone and helpless and lost. He thought about Kozushima again and how he saw it as a prison in his sixteen-year-old mind. Following a light in his dream was the best thing that ever happened to him. It brought him to Hina.

Where was Hina? She had to be out there someplace, he felt as if he'd crawled halfway to Shibuya. Panic brushed past him. Suppose the rain never lifted, suppose he just kept on crawling and crawling forever without reaching anything?

_Stop it!_ he told himself, stop it right now. His throat was making strangled noises.

He struggled to his feet, made himself breathe slowly, made his mind take command of his racing heart and pushed all thoughts of his ultimate decision aside. He was Hodaka Morishima, he told himself. He was at Tokyo, and his memory was tracing every last inch of his footsteps of his three-month getaway. Before he even realized it, he had known Tokyo like the back of his hand, almost as equal as his knowledge of the island. So what if he couldn't see forty feet in front of him because of the fog that came with the rain? He knew that the one he loved was out there, waiting for him; all he had to do was follow his heart.


	3. A Tearful Reunion

Before anyone else had a chance to ask where he was going Hodaka was out of the house and on his personal quest to find the girl of his dreams. The girl that brought so much light and happiness into his abused, neglected life. But that was more of an opinionized matter. With his umbrella in his right hand, he set off for the train station. He boarded the Yamanote Line at Shinjuku Station. It wasn't a circle anymore, it was a C-shape, interrupted by the sunken area. The ends of the C were Sugamo Station and Gotanda, crossing a pier and transferring to a two-story boat. The second floor of the boat was open to the elements, and like him, a few passengers were bundled up in raincoats, gazing out over the water. Hodaka had hoped that he would find Hina's apartment just over the hill.

After getting off, he walked along the narrow, sloping road.

He had walked this road lots of times that summer. There was a line of cherry trees on the embankment on his right, their blossoms half-unfurled and a panoramic view opened up below him on the left. Before, it was a crowded view of train tracks and buildings, but now it was an inland sea, and it goes all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Here and there, the tops of all sorts of buildings protruded from the water. The elevated Shinkansen track ran in a straight line, almost like an enormous pier. Green ivy and bright flowering weeds tangled around the vast, deserted blocks of concrete, claiming new ownership over them.

He heard the rain striking the earth and sweet bird songs. Water-bus engines, and the distant noise of cars and trains. His own footsteps, his trainers on wet asphalt. He took a ring out of his pocket and examined it. It was small and silver in the shape of a wing.

_Could I ask her to marry me?_

Suddenly, the water birds took flight and his eyes followed them.

Then his heart leaped.

She was there, on the top of a slope wearing a raincoat with her hands folded, eyes closed. Praying.

Could she still be using her powers after all the trouble I went through to save her?

Hodaka didn't seem to care anymore.

"Hina!"

Hina looked at him. Just then, a strong gust of wind sent cherry blossom petals flying and whisked the hood off of her head. Her long black hair, tied back in two ponytails, fluttered in the mind. Her eyes filled with tears and she broke into a big smile. As soon as she did, the world blushed into brilliant color

"Hodaka!" Hina yelled, and the boy threw his umbrella aside. The two crazy lovebirds started running at the same time. Her face came closer, bobbing up and down. Then, when she was right in front of him, Hina jumped into Hodaka's arms and clung to him, surprising the boy with a long kiss.

Well that was awkward, Hina had never kissed him before. Maybe she was too happy.

After their lips released, Hina's big eyes gazed up at Hodaka, from a different height than before. Hodaka realized for the first time that he had grown a couple of inches. She was wearing her high school uniform, and it struck him that next time, she really was going to be eighteen. Suddenly, worry began to cross his face and her fingers touched his cheek.

"Hodaka, what's wrong? Are you all right? You're crying."

Hodaka realized the tears streaming down from his eyes, mixing in with the raindrops and wiped them away. His eye sight was clear to notice that Hina was crying too. But he just smiled at Hina, his mind made up and held his hands on hers very firmly.

"Hina…No matter how drenched we are by the rain, we're alive. No matter how much the world changes, we'll live. We'll be all right."

It was a long trip back to Suga's place. Hodaka and Hina brought themselves up to speed on the events that happened over the past few days. The old apartment that Hina and Nagi had been staying in got washed out by the floods and now she was, coincidently staying in an apartment at the high school, which was not too far from the same university that Hodaka was going to attend at. It seemed to Hodaka that fate was bringing them together once again.

When they arrived at the house, Hodaka swallowed. He tried to find the right words, but when he reached the bed, all he said was this. "You can wake up now, Nagi-kun. I brought you my promise. Look who's here."

A shadow fell across the bed, and Nagi smiled.

"I'm back, Nagi," said Hina. Hodaka looked up at her, smiling. "Move over," she said gently. "Let me get near him."

Hodaka stood, feeling the nearness of her, the thinness, the strength, the innocence, and his knees were weak. Hina pushed past him and knelt by Nagi.

She had come. Everything was going to be all right. Hodaka knelt beside her, his shoulder touching her arm, and he was happy in the midst of his heartbreak about Nagi's sickly condition.

"You came, sis," Nagi sneezed. "You're here."

"I want you to do something for me," Nagi was saying. His voice sounded strong, as if he had saved his strength for this moment. His breathing was shallow and fast, almost panting.

"Anything, Nagi," Hina said. "I'll do anything you want."

"If I die, bury me in that silly costume Hodaka gave me. See to it. I know that it was silly, but it was Hodaka's idea."

Hina laughed. Hodaka was shocked. Laughter at what might have been a deathbed. Then he realized that Nagi was laughing, too, without sound.

Hina put her hand on her heart. "You're not going to die Nagi. You just have a cold. If you do, I'll make sure it goes with you to Heaven."

Nagi's hand reached for her, gesturing her ear closer to his lips. "You take care of Hodaka," he said. "He needs caring, and I can't help you until I get better."

Hodaka held his breath.

"I will, Nagi," Hina said.

"You swear it." The command was faint, but stern.

"I swear it," said Hina. Nagi sighed quietly and closed his eyes with a smile of peace.

Hodaka let his breath out with a sob. "Oh, Nagi, thank you," he cried. "Nagi—"

"He can't hear you, Hodaka, he's asleep." Hina's hand moved gently across Nagi's face, tracing his eyes. "We should cook something warm for him for dinner," she said softly. "But for now, let's let him rest for a spell."

"Amen," said Suga from the doorway.

Hina stood, turned. "Hello, Suga-san, Natsumi."

"Hi, Hina-kun," Natsumi said in quiet voice. "We didn't see you come in."

Her eyes went over to Hodaka.

"I see young Hodaka managed to find you. Would you like to stay with us? Nagi is legally adopted by Uncle now."

"I appreciate the offer, Natsumi-sama, but I have my own place now, close to Hodaka. But I'll come back and visit him anytime."

Later that night, after a hot dinner of chicken and rice, Hodaka found Hina outside on the front porch. He walked quietly up to her, but she did not turn her head. Her eyes were concentrated on the world above her feet, a world that she would have willingly spent the rest of all eternity if Hodaka did not save her.

"I can't imagine Tokyo without Nagi, or you for that instance."

Hodaka sat down next to her, feeling the ring in his jacket pocket.

He stroked her ponytails, but she did not flinch. "I've missed you so," he said.

"You know, apart from Nagi," Hodaka went on. "I thought that this would be a perfectly natural occasion for me to pop the question, no matter how reckless it sounds."

He produced the ring, holding it in front of her nose.

"Will you marry me?"

Hina circled his wrist with her hand and lowered his arm to his side. "Don't, Hodaka," she said. "It's too early for us." Her voice was quiet.

Hodaka placed the ring back in his jacket, reflecting on something else.

"I would like to mention that my grandmother died early this morning. I went to her funeral."

"Did you lay any flowers on her grave? I did the same with my parents this morning."

"Nah, she had all the flowers she needed."

He looked up at the dark sky, sharing his thoughts with Hina.

"I wonder sometimes if things might have been different if I never ran away and obeyed my parents' wishes. Have you ever wondered that?"

"No," Hina shook her head. "Then again, I would still be struggling for a job and Nagi would be left all alone."

Hodaka was incapable of imagining such a thought. "I've missed you so much, Hina." he said softly.

Hina winced. "I hope you don't expect me to echo that sentiment, Hodaka. You know full well what I mean."

"I've learned my lesson. Powers or no powers, I won't force you to do something that society expects you to be based on ancient traditions. That's what my father wanted me to be, an exact copy of himself, but I rebelled….and then he would hit me."

He muttered that last part under his breath with utter venom.

"Anyway," Hodaka said, a little louder. "I would have thought that you would have said some semblance back to me after what you said to Nagi."

"Just because I said yes doesn't mean I'll be looking after you all the time. It's not 2021 anymore. Time to grow up."

"I'm glad you didn't lie," said Hodaka with doubt on his face. "If you did…it would be extremely hard on him."

Hina shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. "You are such a child, Hodaka. You've known me for three months, and yet, you didn't even bother to look for me when I needed you most?"

"What could I do? I was on probation, remember?"

"True, but you could have asked someone to take you back."

"If I did, they would have gotten suspicious of me. They probably wouldn't even let me go back without someone watching me. I couldn't go anywhere without asking my parents for permission and a policeman tracking my moves until I turned eighteen."

"Happy birthday then," Hina said with a dry sense of enthusiasm. "But the truth of the matter is Hodaka, no matter how happy we are, the water level will grow higher and higher until the city becomes uninhabitable."

"Not unless we move to other planets," Hodaka said absent-mindedly.

"My powers have not yet been fully restored. Why else would I be praying when you found me?"

Hodaka had no idea how to answer that question.

"Maybe it's best if you went home so I can bring things back to normal. Even if Japan was an ocean once, I can make everyone happy again. But this time I'll do it right."

Hodaka shook his head.

"I don't want to go back. The reason I came here years ago, aside from my father beating me, was because I was a silly childish dreamer who thought he could live on his own. Besides, I think he needs some time alone after my grandmother's passing. But I know better now. I want to live with you. You can even move into my apartment if you want to."

"The last time you spoke to me about your parents, you told me that you found it suffocating to live with them. If you ask me, Hodaka, your parents had you trapped and if you didn't break free, you were going to die…so I agree with you. But I can't risk my powers knowing that you might force me to make a request again."

"I saw what happened to you and I saved you! Please let me make amends!"

Hina stared at him for a moment, then…

"If there was any peace for everyone, Hodaka, you should have thought twice about your decision. I wasn't sure if I wanted to become a spirit of the sky forever myself…so I say we make a compromise. I'll get my powers back, we'll look in on each other from time to time and if I ever wish to make it sunny again, I will do it right. No more website, no more partnership, but at least we can still be friends. And for that, I will keep my promise to Nagi. At least we'll be seen together long enough to keep the gossip down. I'll be leaving for my apartment in the morning. Goodnight, Hodaka. I hope that either one of us will truly believe that we made the right choice."

She walked back into the house, leaving Hodaka at a loss. Maybe she really had grown up.

"I said I wanted you more than any blue sky!" he called after her. "Why can't you see that?!"

But he couldn't keep his mind from jumping around the very nature of his action. He was so confused, so tired.

He'd been tired before. Worse tired than this. When he had returned to his home on the island, with the police and probation officers all sides escorting him, he hadn't let tired stop him. When he had to forage for food all over the city during his first few days, he hadn't given up because his legs and arms felt like dead weights pulling on him. When he scrubbed and cleaned at his first apartment until his hands were raw, when he hitched himself to the back of Natsumi's bike during his escape from the police forces, when he had to find strength to keep going in spite of everything, he hadn't given up because he was tired.

He wasn't going to give up now. It wasn't in him to give up.


	4. Welcome to University

Hodaka woke up the next morning feeling disoriented, perhaps even more depressed, cognizant of the fact that Hina was already gone, probably back to the university apartment. Outside, the morning air was fresh and cool. Hodaka breathed deeply, tasting the freshness. A light breeze lifted the hair that clung to his cold neck. When had he last done a hundred strokes with the hairbrush? He couldn't remember. Nagi would be furious if he found out that his own sister was not going to request his wish. Oh— He put the knuckles of his right hand into his mouth to contain his grief and stumbled into the kitchen where Suga and Natsumi were preparing breakfast. Within their shelter, Hodaka was mentally alone, invisible from the occupants of the house. He crumpled wearily onto the cushioned chair, then settled himself in a sitting position with a crafted work of tree trunk at his back. He had to think; there must be some way to salvage his life from the ruins; he refused to believe different.

Above his head a bluejay cried raucously. Hodaka looked up, heard a second jeering cry. "Fuck off," he shouted. The bird flew away, a whirr of gaudy blue.

Suga put out the plate of eggs in front of Moka's seat while her grandparents respectfully took their seats with traditional, nursed civility. Natsumi sat in a back-ended seat to keep her position upright. Any chairs without backends and she would risk falling backwards and hurt the baby. Wadashi was already digging in on his eggs when Hodaka sat down next to him. He took a full view of the kitchen and said.

"I think this room could some improvement, like a new coat of paint of something."

"Please," joked Suga's mother-in-law. "This rain is giving us all the whitewash we need. It's called rainwater."

Suga prevented himself from laughing. His mother-in-law reminded him too much of a character called Sophia Petrillo from the old American sitcom, _The Golden Girls_. Her husband just kept his mouth shut, preserving the honesty and respect of the household. No sounds erupted from his mouth other than his eating of the yolk, slurping some of it down his throat. Moka did her best to copy her grandparents for future etiquette at the table and slurped some portions of the eggs down.

"If I had to sacrifice any money between refurbishing our house or seeing to it that Natsumi delivers her baby safely," Wadashi was saying. "I'd pick moving to a new home. Maybe America. At least San Francisco's condition is not as bad as we currently are."

"How bad?" asked Hodaka.

"Probably five feet deep," was Wadashi's guess.

"Well, Tokyo is still partly my home too," Hodaka said. "And I like this atmosphere. In this house, we're all like one big happy family."

"It all depends on how you make it a fit place to live in," said Natsumi. "The churches and temples are filling up with refugees as we speak because of the flood. I wish it would stop so that things could go back to normal, otherwise…we may have to move to America."

"And if it's as bad was Wadashi says," Suga interjected. "You may have to stay here, or at the very least, we should move to higher ground. Then again, Natsumi's father's finances will probably help us build a new house: a house that can actually float."

"All of that will depend on how much money you can make to support all of us," said Suga's father-in-law after he had finished eating. "K&A won't be able to last forever because of the flood."

"I want us to be a family again!" Suga protested in his defense. "Tokyo is our home and I want us to be a family again in it, especially since there is no other place for you or Moka, or Oba-chan to go to."

"There are plenty of places," Oba-chan said. "But what we need is more room and space for Moka to run and play on. And the same goes for Natsumi's baby."

"I'll help bring the money in too," said Hodaka. "But then again, there is the matter of my college apartment, so I may have to live on a strict budget."

He remembered how fast his money disappeared when he ran away to Tokyo the first time. Now that he was eighteen, he could live responsibly.

"Why don't you stay with us?" said Wadashi. "At least you won't have to pay for your own rent. We can all pitch in."

"I appreciate that very much," said Hodaka. "But I have already made my decision."

He took a few bites of his eggs and set off to the door, putting his shoes on.

"Let me know when Nagi gets better," he called back to Suga. "You have my phone number, right?"

Suga nodded and with that, Hodaka was out the door.

* * *

Hodaka was thankful that the university and his apartment were located in Musashino, or at least, in the very center of the Musashino Plateau, where the flooding had hardly affected it. The noise of the rain and push of the traffic was a tonic to Hodaka's spirit. So was the disorder on his desk in his room. He needed life and action around him after the numbing succession of beatings his father inflicted upon him for the past sixteen years, and he needed work to do.

There were stacks of newspapers to be read, piles of study books from the student store he went to in the main administrative building, two bills to be paid, and circulars to tear up and throw away. Hodaka sighed with pleasure and pulled his chair up close to the desk.

He checked the freshness of the ink in its stand and the fully charged state of his laptop. Then he turned the lights on. It would be dark long before he finished all this; maybe he'd even have his supper on a tray from the Chuo Refectory tonight while he worked on a statistics sheet for the Department of Agriculture.

He reached eagerly for the reference sheet, then his hands stopped in mid-air when a large square envelope on top of the books caught his eye. It was addressed simply "Hodaka," and the handwriting was Hina's.

_I won't read it now, _he thought at once_, it'll just get in the way of all the things I've got to do. I'm not worried about what's in it—not a bit—I just don't want to look at it now. I'll save it,_ he told himself, _like for dessert. _And he picked up a handful of ledger sheets.

But he kept losing track of the arithmetic he was doing in his head, and finally he threw his notes down. His fingers tore the sealed envelope open.

_Believe me_, Hina's letter began, _when I say that you have my deepest sympathy in your bereavement. I hope Nagi gets well soon. I am grateful that you notified me in time for me to see him before I left_.

_Left because I caused all of this?!_ Hodaka exploded in his head.

He wished he could burn the letter and throw the ashes in Hina's face, shouting the words at her.

_I'll burn it now, I won't even read the rest, I don't have to put my eyes to any more of her words!_ His hands fumbled around the desk, searching for a box of matches, but there were none. What would even want to do with matches in the first place? Smoke?

_Our conversation last night should mean something to you,_ Hina stated. _I will keep my word, Nagi's word and in return, your word. I'll find jobs to support myself and my college tuition. I'm sure that Suga will be able to cover your finances if you can balance your budget. Alternatively, you can pay your bills by check, if you can find a bank account. If we were to ever cross paths in any of our schools, it is best that we keep things on a professional level._

Hodaka read all this with fascination. Anything that had to do with money always interested him, always had, since the day when he came to Tokyo and discovered what poverty was after his few days. Money was safety, he believed. He hoarded the money he earned herself and he even had the generosity of sharing some of it with Hina when they ran their website together, and now, viewing Hina's open-minded professionalism at the thought of crossing paths, presumably implying that she too was going to be enroll here, he was shocked.

_What a fool she is, I could rob her blind if I wanted to. But what if she has to go back to finding jobs like that—that place with creeps like those guys who tried to take advantage of her? I've got to find out more._

He placed the letter in a drawer and rushed out the door.

* * *

If there was any place that Hina was likely to stay at on the high school campus, it was at a girl's dormitory. He remembered the crest on her jacket, looked up the address online and travelled there by taxi. When he arrived at the housing office. He could see that the windows were shuttered and on the door was a mourning wreath with a sign which read: "We are currently in mourning for the passing of a student due to circumstances regarding the flood. Please return later."

Hodaka bit his lip, knowing that he couldn't wait too long. Perhaps it might have been due to the fact that he was an impulsive spirit, but he needed to see her and confirm his suspicions. Surely there had to be someone in the building besides anyone mourning for the dead student.

A young woman named Hara Posakwi, who was rather plain-looking, answered his knock. She looked at Hodaka's less than fashionable clothes and a frown moved her lips.

"I've come to see how Hina Amano is," he said.

"You're not welcome here," Hara said. "This is a girl's dormitory and right now, we're in mourning." She began to close the door.

Hodaka pushed against it. "I wish to see Hina Amano please."

Hara answered by putting her shoulder to the door and resisting the pressure of Hodaka's two hands. The undignified struggle lasted for only a few seconds. Then Hodaka heard the voice of another girl.

"Who is that Hara? Is he here about Mia?"

The door swung open, and Hodaka marched in, noting with pleasure that Hara's face was mottled with red splotches of anger at this sign of the opposite sex invading their premises.

The brown-haired girl came forward into the hallway to greet him, and Hodaka's brisk steps faltered. She looked desperately ill. Dark circles ringed her pale eyes, and deep lines ran from her nostrils to her chin. Her clothes looked black and and frilly with some yellow decals, suitable for mourning in a very sunny condition.

"My name is Chiisana Wakazai," said the girl. "Who is it you want to see?"

"Hina Amano," said Hodaka. "I think she may be attending this school."

They sat on a settee in Chiisana's small, fussy, cluttered dorm room for more than an hour. Hodaka spoke seldom. He listened while Chiisana talked, repeating and interrupting herself in a confused zig-zag of memories. She recounted stories of her dead friend Mia's kindness, unselfishness, nobility, her love for the environment, for her brother and parents, and for Chiisana herself. Her voice was low and without expression, bleached by grief and hopelessness. Her hands groped blindly for Hodaka's, and she grasped it with such despairing strength that his bones rubbed together painfully. He compressed his lips and let her hold on to him.

"Mia Watanabe was one of my best friends," she concluded. "If it hadn't been for these current conditions, maybe she would have lived a longer life."

Hara had gone back to her room to study. Hodaka broke the silence. He wasn't sure if he wanted to expose the fact that Hina was a sunshine girl, or if Chiisana had already been aware…but he decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Would you believe me if I told you that Hina Amano was a sunshine girl."

Chiisana stared at Hodaka, looking like she was ready to laugh. But instead…

"I've heard stories about the sunshine girl three years ago, but I never guessed it would be Hina. Do you think she can put a stop to this flood?"

"I wish. Her powers haven't been restored yet and I don't think she wants to anymore…I think her powers come at a price."

"Maybe it's time she started again," said Hara.

"Isn't that her decision?" Hodaka asked.

When he said this, he realized that he had found a solution. He figured that the next time he saw Hina, he would let her make her own decision. But all the same, his love for her remained.

* * *

The financial crisis that had begun on the day the first level of Tokyo had flooded was spreading throughout Japan. Hodaka was terrified that he'd lose the money he had earned and hoarded a while back. When he read the articles about it online, he went immediately to the bank. He was shaking internally when he reached the bank manager's office.

"I appreciate your concern, Morishima-san," he said, but Hodaka could see that he didn't at all. The longer he talked, and the more reassuring he sounded, the less Hodaka believed him. Bank managers sometimes tended to be like this in a time of crisis.

Then, inadvertently, he set all his fears at rest. "Why, we'll not only be paying our usual dividend to stockholders," he said, "it's actually going to be a bit higher than usual due to the flood reaching the physical banks." He looked at him from the corners of his eyes. "I didn't get that information until this morning myself," he said angrily. "I'd certainly like to know how your employer reached his decision to add to his stock holdings two and a half years ago."

Hodaka felt that he might float right out of his chair with relief. If Suga kept most of his earnings from the "Sunny Girl" business, this must be the safest bank in Tokyo. He always made money when the rest of the world was falling to pieces. He didn't know how he'd found out about the bank's position, and he didn't care. It was enough for him that Suga had confidence in it.

"He has this darling little crystal ball," he said with a giddy laugh that infuriated the manager. He felt a little silly.

But not too light-headed to remember to convert all the cash in his credit card. Transferring some over from his father's account would require a lot of work involved.

As he left the bank, he paused on the steps to enjoy the rain and the thronged busyness of the streets in the business district_. Look at all those folks rushing around—they're in a hurry because there's money to be made, not because they're afraid of anything._ _Not even the rain._

* * *

Later that night, when the apartment was quiet and dark with only a few patrons staying up late, Hodaka decided to take a drink from the sink in his bathroom to help him sleep. He couldn't see much since the lights were off, but he still knew his way. It wasn't like it was a mansion or anything, so it was easy for him to find his way in the dark.

He sipped on three drinks and turned the glass around in his fingers.

_Is this how it feels like to be Suga? Drinking all the time?_

No boy of his island upbringing would ever feel the wild wanting he had felt, no boy of his social class would do the things he had done, like running away from home because of a strict and controlling father and a school that held him back. Hodaka tried to push his thoughts back into the crowded dark corner of his mind where he kept the unbearable and unthinkable. But he'd had too much to drink.

_It did happen,_ his heart cried, _it did. I didn't make it up._

And his mind, so carefully taught by his mother that gentlemen did not have animal impulses, could not control the passionate demands of his body to feel rapture and surrender again.

Hodaka's hands held his aching chest, but his were not the hands his body longed for. He dropped his arms onto the table in front of him, his head onto his arms. And he abandoned himself to the waves of desire and pain that made him writhe, made him call out brokenly into the empty, silent, dark room.

"Hina, oh Hina, I need you."

He clasped his hands together in a prayer the same way Hina did…and the rain came pounding down.

* * *

The first day of college was approaching, and Hodaka grew more frantic with every passing day. He turned on the TV to see news reports of people digging cellars for new houses on higher ground, but the repeated rains made it impossible to pour the concrete foundations.

For him, today was brighter, but in a more optimistic mood than the weather. Nagi was getting better, but he did not hear if Hina was visiting them. He called Suga to find out if Hina had been visiting them, but all he had to say was "Yes, she came here," and nothing else. Hodaka was glad to be relieved that Hina was looking over her little brother more often, but he hoped and prayed that she did not confess the truth of her actions.

Things got brighter for him in his opinion, when arrived in the hallway on his first day of college. He had a goal, now, and all his energy poured into achieving it. He'd think later about exactly how he was going to get Hina back, after his first day of class at the Department of Agriculture. For now, he had to focus on his studies.

It was a somewhat older man in a white shirt and a lime green tie who called out his name.

"Hodaka-kun!"

Hodaka spun and turned.

"Taki-san?"

"Look at you!" Taki exclaimed. "You've changed so much, Hodaka-kun, why I'd hardly know you."

"What brings you here?" Hodaka smiled, this time happily.

"I got a job here as an art teacher," said Taki. "Mitsuha's store hasn't been washed away by the flood, thank God, but it's getting close to reaching our home. Oba-chan is still around, handling things well, even though her place got flooded out, and my dad had to move to another office."

Hodaka didn't say anything. He was busy with his own thoughts, which were concentrated on wondering how soon he could go up to become the head of his class, using the same patience and methods he used to boost his grade and earn the respect of his peers and the other adults back on the island.

Taki punctured Hodaka's bubble before they had finished reaching the top of the stairs. "I know how anxious you must be to attend my classes, senpai, but I only have classes on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so I've planned something else for today."

"What is it?"

"Helping other students with problems…maybe like the ones that I had."

* * *

Yukari Yukino was the teacher of Hodaka's class. She had gone a long way from becoming a teacher of literature and was helping to fill in for Mr. Haraka while he was attending to his financial debts at the bank, mostly bills and all that. She knew some knowledge of agriculture, which she started preparing to on the anniversary of Hodaka's flight to Tokyo and it took over half-a-year to get acquainted with this subject. She found some way at easily balancing her teachings of literature as well as agriculture by keeping a tight schedule on her work days.

"Welcome class," she greeted warmly. "Please, take a seat."

Hodaka sat down in the center of rows among the most aspiring students he had seen, and would later get acquainted to. There was Emmaline Kazakiwa, who looked like the class princess, with five rings and a butterfly comb in her hair. On his upper left was Sally Fontaine, an American who loved driving to the rush of the road and the wind in her hair. On his lower right was Maki, a polite looking little nerd with a small tinge of tomboy in her eyes. On his lower left, sitting next to Maki, was her cousin, Ekano Cowazaki. Hodaka, being a simple country boy from Kozushima, did not know what to make of this boy who looked like an upper-class gentleman.

"Yukino-sama, please forgive me," he heard a new voice say. Hodaka turned and drew in a sharp breath. There was a boy in the doorway, a boy around his age with shining brown hair that grew in a widow's peak above his soft brown eyes. "I'm so sorry to be late," the boy continued. His voice was soft, a little breathless. He was wearing the same uniform as everyone else, but it looked like he had gone through a strong wind which made his hair look puffed up and wavy.

_He almost looks like me,_ Hodaka thought. _Could he be a cousin? I never heard Okasan and Otousan talking about any kin in Tokyo. If they did, they would have told me._

"You're not late at all, Aito," said Yukino-sama. "Come sit down please, you looked chilled to the bone."

Aito smiled gratefully. "The wind is picking up, and the clouds are coming in fast. I believe I got wet by only a few steps… Good afternoon, Emmaline-sama, Sally-sama, Maki, Cowazaki-san—" He stopped, his lips parted, his eyes on Hodaka. "Good afternoon. I don't think we've met. I'm Aito Hamato."

Yunkino-sama hurried to the boy's side. She was holding a steaming cup. "How barbaric of me," she exclaimed. "Here, Aito, have a sip of my tea. You're white as a ghost… Hodaka, Aito is our expert on the new agricultural studies, he graduated from high school last year, and now this is his second year. Aito Hamato—Hodaka Morishima."

"How do you do, Morishima-san." Aito extended a cold little hand. Hodaka felt it quiver in his own warm one when he shook it.

"Please call me Hodaka," he said.

"Thank you… Hodaka. I'm Aito."

"I know, I heard your name a few seconds ago."

"Want to have lunch with me, Hodaka?"

Before he could have a chance to say "yes" or "no", Yukino-sama's voice jumped in.

"Before we begin, I would like to inform you that we have another new student who will be joining us today."

Hodaka saw the door open.

"Hello, everyone!" Hina pushed the door wider with her foot. Her hands were holding a huge backpack printed with pink and blue and yellow features like a sun, a flower and blue teardrop stickers. She smiled cutely, waving her right arm rapidly.

_Hina!_ Hodaka couldn't breathe. How beautiful she was! As though she had completely dried herself outside. Oh, God, how he loved her, his heart was beating so hard that everyone must be able to hear it.

"Welcome, Miss Amano, please find yourself a seat."

Hina placed the backpack on the empty desk next to Hodaka's right, leaned across it, and winked at the three boys sitting in the desks behind her. Then she looked around.

_Look at me,_ Hodaka begged silently from the shadowy corner. _Notice me, senpai._

But she didn't see him. "Hello, Maki, my name is Hina. … Roki, I'm sure you already know my name. … Hello, Aito, it's a pleasure to meet you…."

The introductions continued on like Hina, given her reputation as a hare-onna, was the belle of the ball. Hodaka couldn't stand another minute of it. He spoke abruptly.

"Hello again, Hina. Welcome to the University of Tokyo."

Hina, finally noticing him, hid the shock, the surprise, the displeasure under her warm, girlish smile.

"Hello again, Hodaka."


	5. The Ball, the Storm and the Cave

The next thing you know, Hodaka was shoved into a broom closet with Hina covering his mouth like he was being held hostage. After class ended, Hina had propelled him out of the classroom before he had a chance to set up a lunch date with his classmates. As soon as she removed her right hand from his mouth, Hodaka was the first to say:

"What are you doing here?"

"What else? I skipped a grade. Pushing my thoughts on my powers away to focus on my studies helped me with that."

"I can understand that…but aren't you at least happy to see me again? Since you have taken the opportunity to study at this school, well…maybe this will seem like a good environment to for us to make amends."

"It won't work, Hodaka."

"What do you mean?"

"None of it. We come here to study, not socialize. If I wanted to, I would say 'no dating until after we've graduated.'"

This was a rather illogical philosophy in Hodaka's mind.

"Just say you came because you wanted to be with me." His quiet statement had a simple dignity.

Hina looked at his straight back and proudly lifted head, and her voice softened. "Hodaka," she said, "we might have been friends in time, when the memories had softened to bittersweet nostalgia. Perhaps we might arrive at that yet, if we are both charitable and patient. But nothing more." She cracked a peek at the hall outside the room and closed it again. "What do I have to do to get through to you? I don't want to hurt you, you don't want to hurt me, but you forced me to push my powers to the limits. I don't want you to get in my way."

Hodaka's yellow/brown eyes glittered against his ghostly white skin. "I can speak clearly, too, Hina. I became your reason for living and I want to marry you."

"An unfortunate circumstance that I offered to correct." Her words were like a whiplash. Hodaka forgot that he had to control himself.

"I care for you with all my heart, and like any boyfriend should, I've come to your side." A smile of triumph lifted the corners of his mouth and he played his trump card. "Besides, it looks like we're stuck together. And there is the Shōwa Day Ball later this month. I saw it on a flyer when we came into the hall."

Hina thought about it. She placed her right index finger to her mouth and tapped at it. A small tinge of happiness was appearing across her face. This was Hina the weather maiden, habitué of the lowest part-time jobs in Shinjuku, Hina the cheerful friendly spirit, friend and companion of runaways like Hodaka himself. Hodaka watched, shocked and fascinated and excited despite the decisive decision in her. Suddenly her thinking process stopped and she turned to face him. Her black eyes glittered, but no longer with rage. They held humor, sweet and beautiful and smart. She was Hina Amano, Tokyo's savior from the impending, impossible rain.

"Check," she said with a wry smile. "I overlooked the unpredictable mobility of the king. But not queen, Hodaka." She held out her opened palms in momentary surrender.

He didn't understand what she was saying, but the gesture and her tone of voice told him that he'd won…something.

"So you'll stay?"

"Considering that it's too late for me to transfer to any other school for obvious reasons, the answer is yes," Hina said. "But we needn't discuss that further. What matters is that now you are here, in the same college that I'm attending. Because I care greatly for everyone's happiness, I cannot for the moment do anything about it. However, I don't really have to. You'll do what's necessary without any action on my part. You won't even request me to use my powers, because, as I told you before, they have not yet been completely restored. So I say we keep to each other on a professional relationship until the ball, then we can start again."

Hodaka just beamed. He hugged Hina, crying rapidly. "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

* * *

At lunch in the cafeteria, Hodaka and Hina joined the others in a large circular table. Hina offered Ekano her lunch, and Hodaka felt a stab of jealousy. Then he reminded himself that that she was just being as friendly as always, and he swallowed his anger. "I'm so hungry I could eat half a cow," he said, his voice bright, "and Hina's just starving, aren't you?" He had the upper hand now; he had admitted that much. If he lost it, he'd lose the whole game, he'd never get her back.

As it turned out, Hodaka needn't have worried. Hina took command of the conversation the moment they were seated. She recounted her first meeting with Hodaka in Tokyo, transforming it into an exciting, action-packed adventure, painting deft word portraits of the people they met on the way with such skill that their classmates and Hodaka found themselves laughing until their sides ached.

"And after the police got tired chasing after us, we got to a hotel," Hina concluded with a theatrical gesture of dismay, "just imagine my horror when the owner seemed to be in the right mood to kick us out into the street. For a minute, I was afraid we'd have to sneak back in, but fortunately Hodaka was suggesting that we amuse ourselves with a friendly game of cards."

_That never happened. _Hodaka kept his smile in place.

Maki tried to look disapproving. "I do hope you didn't do anything too dishonest, Hina," she said. But there was laughter beneath the words.

"Maki! You shock me. I only deal from the bottom when I'm playing with professionals. The hotel owner was such an amateur that Hodaka here had to cheat to let him win a few hundred yen to ease his pain. He was like the reverse side of an Eikono."

Sally laughed. "Oh, the poor man. And his wife, if he has one—my heart goes out to her." Emmaline Kazakiwa leaned toward Hodaka. "Some of the skeletons in my side of the family," she said in a mock whisper. She laughed again and began to reminisce.

The Eikonos, Hodaka learned, were famous all up and down the East Coast of Japan for the family weakness: they would gamble on anything. The first Eikono to settle in 1900s America was part of the shipload only because he had won a land grant in a wager with the owner as to who could drink the most ale and remain standing. "By the time he won," Emmaline said, in neat conclusion, "he was so drunk that he thought it made sense to go take a look at his prize. They say he didn't even know where he was going until he got there, because he won most of the sailors' rum ration playing dice."

"What did he do when he sobered up?" Hodaka wanted to know.

"Silly boy, he never did. Ten days after he made landfall, he died in the 1906 earthquake. But in the meantime he had wagered some other gambler at dice and won a girl—one of the indentured servants from the ship—and, after surviving the earthquake, she turned out to be carrying his child, there was a sort of ex post facto wedding at his grave marker, and her son became one of my great-great-grandfathers."

"Was he a big gamester?" Hina asked.

"Oh, of course. It truly ran in the family." And Emmaline continued along the family tree.

* * *

Hodaka, Hina and their new classmates spent the rest of April in a tight-knit group, discussing the usual social activities while gradually anticipating for the Shōwa Day Ball. In time, Hodaka's days were a whirlwind of activity. Beginning with an hour or more at the university, then a big breakfast at the apartment—usually including sausage and boiled noodles—he was out and about by nine o'clock, freshly dressed, with several other classmates trotting behind him. There was enough time to pay as many as five bills before he took nights off to do some work at K&A Planning. Afternoons where he didn't work were taken up by visits to classmates having their "at home" days or dance parties or excursions with new friends to Shibuya for shopping or receiving callers with Maki. Hodaka even tried to find time helping the circles of classmates with their homework, but between his own job and the school, he only time for at least half-an-hour. He called Suga and the others at least once to check on Nagi. The boy was feeling much better, and this news was administered to Hodaka via a sigh of relief.

Within the nights and days he had off working at K&A Planning, he had saved up enough money to buy something special for Hina. Something exciting, like a boat ride or a trip to the fair, maybe even a small vacation to Kyoto. Though he planned to save this information until after the ball, just in case Hina got bored.

At last, April 29th came, and Hina came into Hodaka's apartment, surprising him with a sun-yellow dress with many ruffles around the skirt. It clashed with his rain-blue suit, which looked appropriate for the endless rain.

"What do you think of it?" asked Hina.

"It looks like a queen's ransom," Hodaka joked.

"At least it wasn't fifty thousand yen," Hina laughed before her cold mood resumed. "But I shudder to think about what your mind is going to concoct next."

"If you'd listened to me for once, I can start by making you an offer. My offer is that you will help me get through this ball like a normal couple who's known each other for a long time and maybe we start again as you said before."

"No promises," Hina told him. "But if we do this, we should still remain friends."

With and umbrella in his left hand, Hodaka locked his right arm with Hina's in a gentlemanly way, certain, if not overly-positive that she would change her mind.

_You'd make a right trial in the wife department, but it will be nice doing business with you again. That is, if I don't overwork you on your powers like the last time._

They left the apartment and set off on foot, with Hodaka and Hina inching at each other to share the umbrella.

When they arrived at the Tokyo Dome Hotel, the sun was starting to go down. One-by-one, cars and buses stopped to release passengers, then slowly moved on.

_It's like the whole neighborhood got invited,_ Hodaka thought. He looked through the crowd to see Taki dressed in a French tailored tux with his wife, who wore a gown of purple frocks. From what Taki had told Hodaka later on, the dress belonged to his mother when she met his father at a social gathering. As they walked past some more of the other students, Hodaka said to Hina.

"You know, Hina. I've been thinking. Should I let you decide for yourself on what you want to do here or maybe even for the rest of your life."

"Now that you mention it, I do. My choice is that I want to dance with you."

Hodaka smiled. He had never been this happy since he, Hina and Nagi spent a fun night in a hotel room.

* * *

The hotel ballroom was lit brilliantly, yet softly, by LED lights. From six to three rows of glowing balls that seemed to float high above. From checkered lights on the wooden side walls. From white ceilings that towered above the black tables, holding monumental silver punch bowls that held curving light reflections in their rounded sides.

Hodaka laughed with delight and stepped across the sill.

"Are you having a good time?" Hina asked him much later.

"My, yes! It really is the best ball of the season." He meant it, the evening had been everything a ball should be, filled with music and laughter and happiness on all sides. The music for that evening was the Rose Waltz from _The Slipper and the Rose_ before it shifted into a tango percussion. The foods that were all laid out on the buffet table seemed to be some of Emperor Hirohito's favorites, as well as the traditional foods of soybean soup, rice and pickled vegetables. Others were experimenting with different types of dances from both sides of the Pacific, like the traditional Japanese dance, the foxtrot, the salsa, and the Argentinian. He had nothing to think about except the pleasure of being in the exquisite room dancing to the beautiful music.

It was the same for everyone. Hodaka giggled when he saw their classmates dancing every dance; even Sally's already fiery face was alight with pleasure. There were no wallflowers here. And no awkward partygoers. The terribly young debutantes in their traditional white gowns were paired with men skillful at both dancing and conversation. He saw Hina with at least three of the guys, but never with Aito Hamato. Hodaka wondered briefly who Aito was dancing with. He didn't care. It made him happy. And it made him laugh to see Ekano dancing awkwardly with his cousin.

Emmaline was obviously feeling like the belle of the Ball. _She must be dancing with the biggest flatterers in Tokyo,_ Hodaka thought. No, he decided, her boyfriend Takashi looked like he was having an even better time than her. _Somebody must be sweet talking him_. _They'd certainly never forget this night._ For that matter, neither would he. The sixteenth dance was coming up soon. It was reserved, Jozawa Achito told him when they were waltzing, for sweethearts and married couples, most of them being the school faculty. At these times of celebrations like Shōwa Day, husbands and wives, even those who were in the friendzone were always newly in love, he said with mock solemnity. He was President of the Literature Society, so he knew. It was one of the traditional rules. He would be dancing it with Hina.

So when she took him in her arms and asked him if he was enjoying herself, he said yes with all his heart.

At seven o'clock the orchestra played the last phrase of "Country Road," and the ball was over. "But I don't want it to be over," Hodaka said, "not ever."

"Good," replied Makotai, one of the club leaders, "that's exactly how we hope everyone will feel. Now everyone goes back to the school for supper. The university prides itself on its udon stew almost as much as on its punch. I hope you've had a cup of our famous mixture?"

"Indeed I have. I thought the top of my head was going to lift right off." The cherry lemonade punch was composed largely of excellent berries mixed with superlative blue strawberries.

"We student leaders find it helpful for a night of dancing. It goes to our feet, not our heads."

"So what?! I could dance and party all night if I wanted to!" Hodaka's smiling, extravagant raillery was so automatic that he didn't even have to think what he was saying. What was taking Hina so long? Why was she talking to Ekano instead of escorting him to supper? Could there be something dark behind the scenes? Hodaka did not want to find out.

Oh, thank goodness, Hina was coming.

"Hodaka-kun and I were just discussing about the matters of the party, Hina." Makotai bowed before Hodaka. "A great privilege, sir."

"Do you want to go back with them?" Hodaka made sure that Hina made her choice first before he tried taking over the next course of action.

"No, thank you," Hina shook her head. "I'd rather do something exciting that we have never even done before."

"I know just the place," Hodaka said, and he took her outside, umbrella in hand.

They hadn't far to drive. The taxi turned east onto the street leading to the docks that the floods were not washed away yet. On the way, Hina reminisced with Hodaka.

"Wasn't that a wonderful party?" she said very sweetly, sounding like it was only a week ago. "I thought I'd get a laugh out of those other girls who fell over trying to do the Lindy Hop."

A tense silence followed.

"So where are we going?"

"You'll see," Hodaka smiled.

* * *

Their route took them past the docks. The sidewalk abutted a long row of ships lights, narrow buildings with tightly shuttered shops on street level and the darkened windows of living quarters above. Many of the windows were open to the almost-damp atmosphere of the night. A cat screeched half-heartedly at the sound of their steps. Hina commanded it to be quiet, her own voice muted. The cat hissed once, then was still.

They walked forward, past widely spaced street lamps. Hina adjusted her long stride automatically to match Hodaka's shorter one, and the sound of shoes on brick became a single clack clack clack clack—testimony of the comfortable unity of the moment.

"I wish we could see the stars," Hina said, the sound of his voice low and warm. "We must be past the warehouses now, and there's only water. Listen and you can hear it breathing." They stood very still.

Hodaka strained to hear. The rhythmic slap slap of the moving water against the invisible pilings of the seawall became audible. Gradually it seemed to get louder, until he was amazed he hadn't been hearing it all the time. Then another sound merged with the cadence of the tidal river. It was music, a thin high slow procession of notes. The purity of them made his eyes fill with unexpected tears.

"Do you hear it?" he asked fearfully. Was he imagining things?

"I'll bet it's a sailor who's lost his home because of the rain. I think his tune is 'Home Sweet Home'. I can almost see his lantern in the distance."

He looked at her but it was too dark to see her face. He looked back at the ship's lantern that he could barely make out through the foggy rain and listened to the tide and the music of the yearning, anonymous sailor. The horn of a distant ship echoed across the bay.

Hodaka tasted salt on his lips. "Do you miss the sun, Hina?"

"Mostly. One of my dad's nicknames for my mom was 'hare-onna', which is 'weather maiden'. I guess I inherited my powers from her."

"How come Nagi doesn't have them?"

"Well, my dad was mortal and he is boy, so…I guess that's how it goes."

Hodaka saw the boat he was looking for.

"Want to go for a ride on a boat with me? It might be fun."

"Sure! It would be a shame not to do something exciting for a change," she said.

"Good, because I won't be able to take you sailing if you've got a broken neck."

Hina had no idea that the boat Hodaka had picked out was so small. Or that it would be at the bottom of a long ladder that looked so slimy and wet. She looked accusingly at Hodaka.

"Nearly low tide," he said. "That's why we had to get here by eight-thirty. After the tide turns at ten, we would have a hard time getting into the harbor. Of course, it will be a help bringing us back up the river to dock.… If you're quite certain that you want to go."

"Quite, thank you," said Hina, swinging her right foot over the boat.

Hina was no stranger to ladders, and she had a good head for heights. As a child she and Nagi had climbed trees to their topmost swaying branches and scampered up into the hayloft of the barn as if its narrow ladder were a broad flight of stairs. But she was grateful for Hodaka's steadying arm around her waist on the algae-coated rungs, and very glad to reach the relative stability of the small boat.

She sat quietly on the board seat in the stern while Hodaka efficiently attached the sails to the mast and tested the lines. The white canvas lay in heaps, on the covered bow and inside the open cockpit. "Ready?" he said.

"Oh, yes!"

"Then let's cast off." He freed the lines that hugged the tiny sloop to the dock and pushed away from the barnacle-crusted pier support with his. The fast-running ebb tide grabbed the little boat at once and pulled it into the river. "Sit where you are and keep your head down on your knees," Hodaka ordered. He hoisted the jib, cleated halyard and sheet, and the narrow sail filled with wind, luffing gently.

"Where did you learn how to sail?" Hina asked sweetly.

"It's in my name. My name means to sail high. Sometimes, when my dad was in a good mood, he'd take me and Mom out boating. I learned a few things about sailing from him."

Hina moved on to the seat beside Hodaka and hooked her elbow over the tiller between them. With Hodaka's two hands he began to haul up the mainsail. There was a great noise of creaking and rattling. Hina stole a sideways look without lifting her head. Hodaka's eyes were squinting against the darkness and he was frowning in concentration. But he looked happy, as happy as she had ever seen him.

Hodaka looked at her rapt expression, smiled at her innocent, cheerful face and asked her. "Would you like to take the tiller? I'll teach you to sail her."

Hina nodded her head. She had no desire to control, she was happy simply to be.

Hodaka knew how remarkable it was for Hina to take this opportunity to rule, understood the depth of her response to the joyous freedom of sail on sea. He had felt the same rapture often in his youth. Even now he had brief moments of it from time to time, moments that sent him back onto the water again and again in search of more.

"Duck," she said. And put the little sloop into a long reach. The suddenly increased speed brought water foaming onto the deep-slanted edge of the hull. Hodaka let out a cry of delight. Far behind them, the cry was repeated by a ship's horn blowing across the distance, Hina looked up and grinned. The rain may have been on their backs, the wind sharp and salty on her face. It was a good day to be alive. She lashed the tiller and moved forward in a stoop to even the ship's balance in the calm wave. The water was so dark that it looked almost black. Hodaka crab-walked back to the stern and sat down on the raked outer edge of the cockpit. The cant of the hull dropped with his weight, and the lively little boat hissed through the water on an almost even keel.

"I've never had this much fun in almost three years!"

The rain was light, and it did very little to flood the boat, but Hodaka didn't care, and neither did Hina. Together, they were throwing caution to the wind.

* * *

After a short while, Hina took control of the tiller again and Hodaka crept to the bow, stretching his arms out. The wind and rain were mere tickles to his face, but in his elation, he closed his eyes, letting the air fill the interior of his nostrils, then suck them down into his throat. Hodaka seemed to love the rain, and it excited him wherever he went, metaphorically washing away the thoughts of his troublesome childhood and replacing them with happy ones, both from Tokyo and Kozushima. All these risks, all these stunts, his spirit never felt so free before from the relentless conditioning of his life back home. His faith in God was at it's peak and he clasped his hands together, creating a mental wish.

_I wish there was some way that Hina and I can stay together forever._

Perhaps it was because of that prayer that Hodaka was careless. He didn't see the dark patch of clouds covering the already overcast sky. His first warning was when the steady fresh wind suddenly dropped. The taut billowing sails went limp, and whatever fishes were there following them nosed abruptly down into the water and disappeared. Hina looked then—too late—over her shoulder and saw the squall racing over the water and the sky.

"Get down into the belly of the boat, Hodaka," she said quietly, "and hold on. We're about to have a storm. Don't be frightened, I've survived through much worse."

He looked behind and his eyes widened. How could it be possible? Was this his doing? Without a word he slid down and found a handhold beneath the seat where he and Hina had been sitting. At that moment the squall hit. The setting sun turned to liquid near-night as the clouds blackened the sky and loosed sheets of rain on them, a lot harder than before. Hodaka opened his mouth to cry out, and it was immediately filled with water.

_Is this what it feels like to drown?_ thought Hodaka. He bent over and spat and coughed until his mouth and throat were clear. He tried to lift his head, to see what was happening, to ask Hina what was that terrible noise. But the front locks of his hair smacked against his face, and he couldn't see anything. I've got to see or I'll. He wiped the front locks of his hair back with his free hand, but almost immediately, they went back to obstructing his sight. His other hand was desperately gripping the metal handle he had found. The boat was pitching and yawing, creaking as if it was coming apart. He could feel the sloop racing down, down—it must be almost standing on its nose, it was going to go straight through the water, right to the bottom of the sea. _Oh, sweet Gods, I don't want to die!_

With a shudder the sloop stopped its plunge. Hodaka wiped his hair away from his eyes again, his hand holding onto it, flattening it down. He could see!

He looked at the water, then up, at water, then up… up… up. There was a wall of water higher than the tip of the mast, ready to fall and smash the frail wooden shell to bits. Hodaka tried to scream, but his throat was paralyzed by fear. The sloop was shaking and groaning; it rode with a sickening slide up the side of the wall, then hung on the top, shuddering, for an endless terrifying moment.

Hodaka's eyes were narrowed against the rain pouring down on his head with terrible pounding blows, streaming down over his face. On all sides there were angry, surging, foam-streaked mountainous waves with curling breaking white tops streaming fans of spume into the furious wind and rain. "Hina," he tried to shout. _Oh God, where was Hina? _He turned his head from side to side, trying to see through the rain. Then, just as the sloop dove furiously down the other side of the wave, he found her.

She was holding on for dear life. Her left hand gripped the tiller with corded strength, and her right hand was outstretched, holding on to the line that was wrapped around her elbow and forearm and wrist, the sheet that led to the fearful pull of the huge wind-filled mainsail.

_Thank goodness you're all right!_

Hodaka looked up at the towering threat of the next wave and for a wild, despairing instant, he waited for it to topple, to trap, to kill him. Then he told himself that he had nothing to fear. If her powers were to be fully restored at any time soon, Hina could manage anything, even the ocean itself. He lifted his head, as hers was lifted, and gave himself over to the wild perilous excitement.

This screaming, angry weather brought him back to the past when he left Kozushima for the first time…but this time, Suga was not here to save him. As far as he could remember about the times he and his family went on boat rides, the weather was calm and tranquil. Rainy occasions were best left alone to the daredevils.

However, the worst was yet to come.

The hull of the boat bucked, then lifted to starboard and rolled slowly, following the pull of the fouled rigging, until it was upside down. Capsized in the cold storm-torn sea.

He'd never known such cold could exist. Cold rain pelting him, colder waters surrounding him, pulling at him. His whole body must be frozen from hypothermia. His teeth were chattering uncontrollably, making such a noise in his head that he couldn't think, couldn't understand what was happening, except that he must be paralyzed, because he couldn't move. And yet he was moving, in sickening swings and surging lifts and terrible, terrible falling, falling.

"Hina!" he screamed over the roar of the wind.

"Hodaka!" he heard her voice. And that was Hina's arm around him, holding him. But where was she? He couldn't see anything through the water that kept hitting his face, glazing and stinging his eyes.

"Listen carefully, Hodaka! I want you to get under the boat! It'll protect us!"

Hodaka obeyed and the floor of the boat, now a roof, covered them up, sealing them away in darkness.

It seemed like forever. The time was slow in his head. He and Hina were shoulder-deep in water, letting it lap above them at differing levels of height. Soon he was growing exhausted by the swaying and rocking of the boat, and he collapsed into Hina's arms.

A minute later, Hina burst from the surface and found herself walking on solid land. The water slowly left her feet.

The rain had calmed down, blown almost horizontal by the gusting wind. Hina cradled Hodaka's limp form to her chest and huddled over it, kneeling in the white frothing edge of the water.

When a wave had passed over her feet and spent itself, she stumbled forward onto the beach, clasping Hodaka to her. Her bare feet and legs were cut in a few places by the fragments of underwater rocks and shells, but she was uncaring. She ran clumsily through the deep clinging sand to an opening in the line of immense sand dunes and climbed a short way into a bowl-like area of a cave that was sheltered from the winds. There she gently placed Hodaka's body on the soft sand.

Her voice broke as she called Hodaka's name over and over again while she tried to bring life into his chilled whiteness by rubbing every part of him with her two hands. His snarled, glistening black hair was spilled around his head and shoulders and his black eyebrows and lashes were shocking streaks across his colorless wet face. Hina slapped his cheeks softly and urgently with the backs of her fingers. She even prayed, hoping that the weather would clear and the moon would shine down upon the face of Hodaka, bringing the life back into him and replenish his health to full capacity.

When his eyes opened, their color looked as strong as the golden sun. Hina shouted in primitive triumph.

Hodaka's fingers half closed around the shifting solidity of the rain-hardened sand. "Land," he said. And he began to cry in gasping sobs.

Hina put one arm under his shoulders and lifted him into the protection of her bent crouching body. With her free hand she touched his hair, his cheeks, mouth, chin. "Hodaka, you're alive. Don't cry, it's all over. You're safe. It's all right. Everything—" She kissed his forehead, his throat, and his cheeks. Hodaka's pale skin warmed with color, and he turned his head to meet her kisses with his own.

And there was no cold, no rain, no weakness—only the burning of Hina's lips on his lips, on his body, the heat of her hands. And the power he felt under his fingers when he gripped her shoulders to remove the straps that held her dress off. And the pounding of his heart in his throat against her lips, the strong beat of her heart beneath his palms when he tangled his fingers in the thick curling hair on her head. Then she took his shirt off, followed by him removing her undergarments, then his shorts, taking his boxers with it and pushing them to his knees.

At the moment he felt himself enter her loving grip, Hodaka was in his happy place, away from his father, away from his school, away from an island that seemed determined to crush his adventurous spirit. He had met Hina again with the passion of his lips, a feeling that he hadn't expressed during the time he spent with her almost three years ago. His feelings reciprocated with her feelings, and it was that matter of love that transcended all of time, mind, body and space, even if the city, the country and the whole planet was flooding over.

No matter how terrible things were for the other residents of Earth, they still had each other.


	6. Birthdays and Relatives

The very next morning, the two lovers who left the city, got caught in a storm and decided to make love in an empty cave with walls that echoed the crashing of the sea all around it, woke up to the usual grey sky and light rain that had now become an eternal staple in this part of the world.

Hodaka stretched luxuriantly. For the first time he felt the rasping sand against his skin and noticed that he was lying there with his genitals exposed. He pulled his pants back up and asked Hina, who was on her feet, looking out at the shore.

"Where are we?"

Hina studied the horizon from the safety of the cave.

"By the looks of it, it's Tatadohama beach. There are a couple of houses nearby. Maybe we can use one of the telephones there and call for someone to take us back to the University."

Hodaka threw his shirt on and out they went into the rain, climbing up the hill towards the Shimoda Yamatokan, which was a hot-springs bathhouse. The manager was kind enough to let them use the telephone to call the University and have them send over a bus to pick them up. During the ride, Hodaka slid into a sleep so profound that it was more nearly coma.

* * *

"Exhaustion," said the doctor Hina brought back from the University, "and exposure. It's a miracle your friend isn't dead, Amano-sama. Let's let him rest for a few hours, and give him some warm blankets, his legs will be fully healed by tomorrow morning."

Hodaka's eyes opened. His clouded mind registered the white coats in front of him, then his eyes rolled back in his head. He was in bed, in his apartment, with his only guess being that Hina and the doctor carried him there. The doctor closed the eyelids with fingers practiced in schooled medicine.

"It would be better for you to rest, Hodaka-kun. You could get sick."

"Drink this," said the nurse next to the doctor.

Hodaka swallowed. Then he gulped. The sweetened milk tasted better than anything he'd tasted in weeks. When it was all gone, he rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand to erase the milk mustache. "I'm mighty hungry, miss, could I have something to eat?"

The nurse, whose name was Aiko, nodded. "Just a second," she said. Then she stood over by the doctor and asked quietly.

"Should we tell the school and have his teachers mark him as absent for a few days?"

"A good precaution," said the doctor. "But I am sure it won't take that long. All he needs now is rest."

When they were finished, Aiko pulled the coverlet up over Hodaka's shoulders and tucked it around them. Hodaka was asleep. The medicine in the milk was laudanum. Hina and the doctor left while Aiko stayed behind.

Hodaka tossed fitfully while he slept. When he thrashed off the coverlet, Aiko tucked him in again and stroked his forehead until the lines of distress were soothed away. But Aiko could do nothing about the dreams.

They were disjointed, chaotic, fragments of Hodaka's memories and fears. There was hunger, the never-ending desperate hunger of the bad days in Tokyo. And Takai with his soldiers, coming closer and closer to their location, looming in the shadows of the McDonalds where Hina used to work, handling the poor children and whispering that she and Nagi would have to be put in a foster home, sprawling in a pool of blood on the floor at his home in Kozushima, the blood spurting, spreading, becoming a torrent of red that rose into a mountainous wave higher and still higher over a screaming small Hodaka. And there was cold, with ice covering trees and shriveling flowers and forming a shell around him so that he couldn't move and couldn't be heard although he was calling "Hina, Hina, Hina come back" inside the icicles that were falling from his lips. His mother passed through his dream, and Hodaka smelled grapefruit, but Morishima-sama never spoke. Otousan Morishima jumped a fence, then another, then fence after fence into infinity, chasing Hodaka until he finally caught up with him and told him how much of a burden he was to his life. The voices changed, became a girl's voice with a boy's, became hushed. He couldn't hear what they were saying.

Hodaka licked his dry lips and opened his eyes. It was his schoolmates.

"He's been having a nightmare," said Aiko.

"The bad dreams are all over now, Hodaka. The doctor said you're going to be well in no time at all." Aito Hamato's dark eyes were shining with earnestness.

Emmaline Kazakiwa's face appeared over his shoulder. "We've come to take you to class, Hodaka," she said.

"This is ridiculous," Hodaka complained. "I can perfectly well walk." Aito clamped a hand on her shoulder and continued to push the wheelchair slowly along the crushed oyster-shell road. "I feel like a fool," grumbled Hodaka, but he slumped back in the bed. His head was throbbing with sharp dagger-like pains. The rainstorm had brought back weather suitable for February. The air was crisp, with a bite in the wind that was still blowing. _At least Emmaline-sama brought my rain coat__, _he thought_. I must have had a mighty close call if I'm allowed to wear the coats she thought were so showy._

"Where is Hina? Shouldn't she be here?"

"The doctor thought it would be better if you needed some time alone," said Emmaline firmly. "So we took her back to her apartment to make sure she wasn't getting sick too."

Aito spoke quietly, bending near Hodaka's ear. "Emmaline-sama was alarmed when the storm came up so suddenly. When sensei told us about you and Hina going out onto a boat, the storm, everything else, we came right away and waited until you got better. The doctor said was okay for us after a few hours had passed."

"Thank you," said Hodaka warmly.

"Hina told me you worked a miracle tending to Hodaka," Emmaline said to Aito. "I don't know how we'll ever thank you."

After a tray with a hot miso soup and some rice, he fell again into a deep sleep.

There were no nightmares this time. He was in the familiar soft luxury of linen sheets and feather mattress, and he knew that Hina was only a few steps away. He slept for fourteen strength-restoring hours.

He saw the flowers the minute he woke up. Beach roses. There was an envelope propped against the vase. Hodaka reached for it.

Hina's handwriting was starkly black on the cream-colored paper. Hodaka touched it lovingly before he began to read.

_Hodaka_

_I appreciate that you were trying to show me a fun time last night, but frankly I would rather save all chances of another boat ride for when my powers are restored and we can sail under the sun again. Even so, I don't want to be involved in any more of your crazy stunts. We still have school and there are other, more calmer things that we can do in the meantime, like a normal date, for example._

_Nagi came to see me with Suga-san. He's all better now and if there is one problem they have left, it is the matter of Natsumi and Wadashi's baby. I suggested to Natsumi that they should move to higher ground if my powers are not fully restored by a hundred percent soon and I want nothing else but a professional relationship for the both of us. After you made love to me, I feel like a different person, like a woman who has been stripped of virginity out of her own violation, and I could use some time to myself even during classes, so don't try to talk to me until I feel like myself again._

_I wish you a happier future._

_Hina_

Hodaka stared at the letter, at first too confused to hurt. Then too angry.

Finally, he set the letter down and put it back in the envelope. Then he saw another envelope lying there on the opposite end of the table. He checked it. Surprisingly, it was from his mother.

_I hope they're not wanting me to come back for anything,_ Hodaka feared the worst. _I've been here for a month and already my own mother is trying to reach out to me?_

He opened up the envelope. Sure enough, he recognized his mother's dainty, polite handwriting.

_Dear Hodaka_

_In case you are wondering how my letter reached you, I merely addressed it to your university. Hopefully, someone who works or studies there recognized your name and brought it to your current address._

_Anyway, how's college? Otousan is still grieving, but he's in a better mood than what he was at the funeral. You shouldn't have tried to help him. We may have been terrible parents for the majority of your childhood, but let's not forget that we began to see the error of our ways while you were in Tokyo three years ago. I should also inform you that perhaps, during school holidays, your new life on the mainland will give you an opportunity to visit some of your relatives on my side of the family. Ojiisan Okazaki's 80__th__ birthday is coming in May and I would love it if you visited him, Uncle Tombo and Aunt Paka for the occasion. I wish I could go myself, but your father might throw a fit if I left him too._

_I know he will look forward to seeing you again._

_Your loving mother_

_P.S. In the precaution that you did not receive this letter, I have copied the contents into a message on your phone._

Hodaka checked his phone messages. Sure enough, his mother's message was there, typed exactly as it was written. He thought about it as he recovered all throughout the day, maybe his relatives would help him find the answer to his choice and he never really spent much time with his relatives given how his father, for strict reasons like school and the conditioning of being a perfect "man-of-the-house" made such planned visits unlikely. Ojiichan Morishima had passed away long before he was born, and his grandmother, while she was still alive, told him stories about her husband that he was never really too interested in. He did hear from his father that he had two brothers living in Numazu with families of their own. Numazu was a coastal town which lay under the shadow of the snowcapped Mount Fuji. Perhaps they were more welcoming than his parents were based on what he could remember of them. Generous was an accurate way to describe them, for they had given Hodaka reasonable sums of money on his birthday and Christmas. It was those savings that gave him the needs to buy his ticket to Tokyo almost three years ago, even though he quickly ran out on his first few days.

_What's the harm in seeking out some of my relatives? I'm old enough to do whatever I want now!_

* * *

May passed slowly, Hodaka did his best to refrain himself from going out with Hina. His classes at work and K&A kept him busy. The others offered to help him with his homework, he helped them in return. But it didn't last long when he learned from Aito on Greenery Day that he was going out with Hina on a date. Hodaka, seeing Aito as nothing more than a perfect antithesis of his clumsy, rebellious nature, decided to let them be. He hoped that Hina would soon get tired of him.

After an extra three days and three hours at K&A, Hodaka saved up enough money to buy a train ticket to Numazu, with an additional taxi fare he would use to get to his grandfather's house. By the 21th of the month, he packed his bags and headed out to the station. He said goodbye to no one, but he did leave a letter telling Hina and his classmates where he was going, and with his principal's permission, he was allowed to leave on the condition that he would be given the time to study while he was away.

Hodaka clapped his hands with delight when the taxicab pulled up in front of Ojiisan Okazaki's house. It was blue, and in a western style, just like his mother said. _To think that I didn't even notice when I visited before! Well, no matter, it was so long ago; what counts is now._

The water of the sea didn't come up to the house because the rain was lighter here and the town was flooding slowly. He hurried up one straight arm of the wooden steps and through the opened door. His aunt, uncle and their manservant could see to the luggage, he was dying with curiosity about the inside of the house.

Yes, it was blue everywhere—blue and white and gold. The walls were black, and the covers on the chairs, and the draperies. With shiny white woodwork and pillars, all trimmed with glimmering gilt. Everything looked perfect, too, in a balanced mixture of traditional and western influences, not modest or plain like the houses back on Kozushima and in Tokyo. _What a perfect place to be!_ thought Hodaka. He'd see that his family was every bit as important and impressive as he imagined them to be.

Rich, too. His eyes moved rapidly, assessing the value of the meticulously maintained furnishings he could see through the open door to the drawing room. Why, he could paint every wall of his house back home on Kozushima, inside and out, for what it must cost to add some gold furnishings on the plastered ceiling corners.

His aunt and uncle were there to greet him in the living room. Uncle Tombo was his mother's older brother and he wore a forest green yukata with a dragonfly on the back, fitting of his name. Aunt Paka wore a black kimono that was decorated with cats on the sleeves. They were both thin, as thin as his own parents, but a lot happier and healthier. Their hair was as black as his mother's even if Aunt Paka was not related to the Okazaki's by blood.

"Welcome to our home, oigo," Uncle Tombo bowed.

He coolly removed his raincoat and dropped them on a marble-topped console in the hall. Then he began to take off his trainers and socks. He could feel his aunt and uncle staring. They'd done plenty of that in some of his previous visits. But Hodaka was very pleased to be wearing a green shirt and a pair of brown shorts instead of the drab outfits he'd worn in Tokyo.

"Hodaka, I understand that you must be wanting to meet your grandfather but he woke up to a bad start…" Aunt Paka began.

"You must wait…" Uncle Tombo was wringing his hands.

"If Ojiisan's too grumpy to come out and meet us, we'll just have to shift for ourselves. Have you ever considered standing up to him Uncle Tombo? You and your wife live here too."

Hodaka's words and manner were bold enough, but when a basso voice bellowed "Kenta!" from the rear of the house, he felt his palms grow damp. His Ojiisan, he suddenly remembered, had eyes that cut right through you and made you wish you were anywhere except under his gaze.

The imposing manservant who had admitted him now gestured Hodaka and his aunt and uncle toward the open door at the end of the hall. Hodaka let Tombo and Paka stand by while he himself walked in. The bedroom was a tremendous high-ceilinged space that had formerly been a spacious parlor. It was crowded with furniture, all the sofas and chairs and tables that had been in the parlor, plus a massive four-posted bed with gilt eagles crouching on top of the posts. In one corner of the room was a flag of Imperial Japan and a headless tailor's dummy wearing the gold-epauletted medal-hung uniform that Norio Okazaki had worn when he was a young man and an officer in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The old man Norio Okazaki was in the bed, sitting erect against a mass of huge pillows, glaring at his visitors.

He was shrunk up to almost nothing. He was such a big old man, but he was practically lost in that big bed, nothing but skin and bones. "Hello, Ojii-chan," Hodaka said, "I've come to see you for your birthday. It's Hodaka, Etsuko's son."

"I haven't lost my memory," said the old man. His strong voice belied his fragile body. "But apparently your memory fails you. In this house, young people do not speak unless they are spoken to."

Hodaka bit his tongue to keep silent. This man was practically an older version of his own father, but bound and lost in strict ancient traditions and customs.

_I'm not a child to be talked to that way, and you should be grateful anybody comes to see you at all. No wonder Okasan was so cold to me as much as Otousan was! If I didn't know any better, I'd say she gets it from him._

"However," began Ojiisan in a kinder voice. "Seeing as I have not seen you in a long time, I can make an exception."

"I'll be on my best behavior," said Hodaka, his opinion of him starting to lighten up.

"I would have hoped that you come and see me more often. I am sorry that I could not attend your birthday party. It would have been nice to see your mother again after your last visit four years ago."

"It's fine," Hodaka said wistfully. "I never saw much of my grandmother back home either. In case it pleases or hurts you, she died two months ago…my father's mother."

"I never got along well with her, but all the same, my sympathizes go out to your father. Now that you have come to me for a day worth celebrating, I hope that you will learn to favor your mother's family more than your fathers."

"Be as that may, I feel like I'm more Morishima than Okazaki. But I can tell you one thing, Ojii-chan, I am nothing like my father. I am what you might call a rebellious spirit."

"Would you care to sit down and explain?" Ojiisan gestured to a seat on his left that he usually reserved for visitors.

Hodaka sat down and told Ojiisan the whole story; how his father abused him, how he ran away to Tokyo, how he met Hina and how he practically doomed Tokyo to flood all because he fell head over heels with her. He even thanked Ojiisan for the money he sent him on his 16th birthday somewhere in between the running away bit.

When he finished, Ojiisan Okazaki's eyes widened.

"It seems to me," he said in a morbid voice. "That your father is no longer the same man my daughter fell in love with. As for this girl, well, I have my respect for the ancient myths, but in this day and age, I am surprised that the youth still believe in them. Though, of course, I have my doubts."

"You never believed in weather-maidens?"

"I am a very conflicted man, Hodaka-kun. And a very inquisitive one. Is there any other reason you came all this way from college?"

"To seek out my relatives, of course."

"What relatives? I am the last of the Okazaki line in Numazu."

"I know that. Morishimas I mean. If I recall, Otousan's brothers live close by."

"Those peasants?" Ojiisan scoffed.

"They may be peasants, but I'm sure Otousan would like it if I visited them. Maybe they're a lot nicer than he is."

"I too had my doubts that Shuji Morishima would make a fine match for your mother because I could see the strict nature in his eyes. He reminded me of myself when I was in the Self-Defense Forces; strong, honest, obedient and a willing fighter to the honorable name of Shōwa. I even nicknamed him 'Kibishii' because of his rigid nature. But to hear that he abused his own son…I…I suppose he did the right thing, to try and disciple you, but physical abuse, even in the eyes of tradition, is a bit too extreme."

"Do you think I did the right thing too? By saving Hina even though Tokyo is flooded by now?"

"You should be punished for it," Norio's eyes turned steely. "Seeing as how so many people had to flock here because of your love for a woman of great power. But if the sun comes out again and the water dries up, it won't matter anymore."

"I hope so," Hodaka said quietly to himself.

Then his grandfather's eyes swept past Hodaka's and over his right shoulder.

"And what about you? Are you not going to make your nephew comfortable?!" Norio Okazaki growled at his son and daughter-in-law.

Tombo and Paka rushed to the bedside, both scrambling to get Hodaka's luggage into the guest room.

Hodaka sank down onto a gold brocade sofa, wishing he was some place—any place—else. _Hina better come after me soon or I'll go crazy in this house._

It was getting dark outside, and the shadowed corners of the room were mysterious. The headless soldier seemed about to move. Hodaka felt cold fingers on his spine and told himself not to be silly. But he was glad when Kenta and a sturdy-looking maid of American descent came in carrying a lantern. While the maid pulled the curtains, Kenta lit the lanterns on each wall. He asked Hodaka politely if he would move so that he could get behind the sofa. When he stood, he saw his Ojiisan's eyes on him, and he turned away from them. He found himself facing a big oil painting in an ornate gilt frame. Kenta lit one lamp, then a second, and the painting came to life.

It was a portrait of his maternal grandmother. Hodaka recognized her at once from the painting back home at Kozushima. But this one was very different. Soko Okazaki's dark hair was not piled high on her head as in his home's portrait. It fell, instead, like a warm cloud over her shoulders and down her bare arms to the elbow, bound only by a fillet of gleaming pearls. Her arrogant thin nose was the same, but her lips held a beginning smile instead of a sneer, and her tip-tilted dark eyes looked from their corners at Hodaka with the laughing, magnetic intimacy that had challenged and lured everyone who'd ever known her. She was younger in this painting, but nevertheless a woman, not a girl. Hodaka felt himself blushing. _Why, Oba-chan Okazaki doesn't look like a lady at all_, he thought, automatically disapproving as he'd been taught she should. Involuntarily he remembered himself in Hina's arms and the wild hunger for her hands on him. His grandmother must have felt the same hunger, the same ecstasy, it was in her eyes and her smile. So it can't be wrong, what I felt. Or was it? Was it some taint of shamelessness in his blood, handed down from the woman who smiled at him, from the painting? Hodaka stared at the woman above him on the wall, fascinated.

"Hodaka." Paka whispered in his ear. "It's time we had our supper now. Say goodnight quietly to Ojii-chan, and come with me."

Supper was a skimpy meal. Hardly enough, in Hodaka's opinion, for one of the bright-plumaged fantasy birds painted on the plates that held it. "That's because the cook's preparing Otousan's birthday feast," Tombo explained in a whisper.

"Four days ahead of time?" Hodaka said loudly. "What's she doing, watching the chicken grow up?" _Good heavens_, he grumbled to herself, he'd be as skinny as Ojiisan Okazaki by Thursday if it was going to be like this. After the house was asleep, he made his way silently down to the basement kitchen and ate his fill of the soybeans and milk-white rice in the refrigerator. _Let the servants go hungry for a change_, he thought, pleased that his suspicions had proven accurate. Norio Okazaki might keep the loyalty of his son and daughter-in-law when their stomachs were only half-filled, but his servants wouldn't stay unless they had plenty to eat.

* * *

The next morning, he ordered Kenta to bring him eggs and bacon and biscuits. "I saw plenty in the kitchen," he added. And he got what she wanted. It made him feel much better about his meekness the night before. _It's not like me to knuckle under that way, _he thought. _Just because Aunt Paka and Uncle Tombo were shaking like leaves, that's no reason for me to let the old man scare me. After seeing how soft he was with me, I won't let it happen again._

Still, he was just as glad that he had the servants to deal with and not his Ojiisan. He could see that Kenta was offended, and it rather pleased him. He hadn't had a show-down with anyone since Takai and his friends from the high school on Kozushima, and he did love to win. "My aunt and uncle will have bacon and eggs, too," he told Kenta. "And this isn't enough butter for my biscuits."

Kenta stalked off to report to the other servants. Hodaka's demands were an affront to them all. Not because they meant more work; in fact he was only asking for what the servants always had for breakfast themselves. No, what bothered Kenta and the others was his youth and energy. He was a loud disruption of the house's shrine-like, muted atmosphere. The servants could only hope that he would leave soon, and without wreaking too much havoc.

After breakfast, Tombo and Paka took him into each of the rooms on the first floor, talking eagerly about the parties and receptions they had seen in their youth, correcting each other constantly and arguing about decades-old details and what traditions they had to follow. Hodaka paused for a long time in front of the portrait of boy and girl, trying to see his mother's composed adult features in the chubby-cheeked five-year-old of the photograph. Hodaka had felt isolated in Tokyo's web of intermarried generations, whether they be straight, lesbian or homosexual. Back home, everyone on the island was heterosexual. It was good to be in the house where his mother had been born and reared, in a city where he was part of the web.

"You must have about a hundred cousins in Numazu," he said to his aunt and uncle. "Tell me about them. Can I meet them? They're my cousins, too."

Paka and Tombo looked confused. Cousins? There were the Okamotos, Paka's family. But only one very old gentleman was in Numazu, the widower of Paka's mother's sister. The rest of the family had moved to Yokohama many years ago. "Everyone in Yokohama feels a connection to the sea," Paka explained. And as for the Okazakis, they were the only ones. "Otousan had lots of cousins up north, brothers, too—two of them. But only one of them relocated to America ten years after World War II."

Tombo broke in. "But we have many, many friends in Numazu, Hodaka. You can certainly meet them. Aunt Paka and I will be paying calls and leaving cards today, if Otousan doesn't need us to stay home with him."

"I'll have to be back by three," Hodaka said quickly. He didn't want to be out if Hina or anyone else he knew arrived to visit him, nor did he want to be other than at his best. He'd need plenty of time to bathe and dress before the train from Tokyo got in.

But Hina didn't come, and when Hodaka left the carefully chosen bench in the immaculately maintained formal garden behind the house he felt chilled to the bone. He had refused his aunt and uncle's invitation to accompany them that evening to the Salieri concert they'd been invited to. If it was going to be anything like the tedious reminiscences of the old ladies and gentlemen they'd called on that morning, he'd be bored to death, even more than the social gatherings he and his parents went to on the island. But his Ojiisan's malevolent eyes when he received his family for ten minutes before supper made him change his mind. Anything would be better than being alone in the house with Ojiisan Okazaki.

The Takashi sisters, Mei and Setsuko, were the recognized cultural guardians of Numazu, and the Salieri concert was nothing like the ones Hodaka had known before. Usually they were just men and women in fancy clothes playing classical instruments, showing off their "accomplishments," accompanied by other people on the pianoforte. It was obligatory that ladies and gentlemen sing a little, play the piano a little, draw or paint watercolors a little and do fancy needlework a little. At the Takashi house in Higashishiiji, the standards were much more demanding. The handsome double drawing rooms had rows of balsa wood chairs across their centers, and at the curved end of one of the rooms a piano and a harp and six chairs with music stands in front of them promised some real performances. Hodaka made mental notes of all the arrangements. The plain looking rooms at the Amano apartment could easily be fixed the same way, and it would be a different kind of party from what everyone else did. He'd have a reputation as an handsome host in no time at all. He wouldn't be old and frumpy looking like the Takashi sisters, either. Or as dowdy as the younger men and women who were here. Why was it that everywhere in the Japanese regions people thought they had to look poor and patched to prove they were respectable?

The string quartet bored him, and he thought the harpist would never finish. He did enjoy the singers, even though he had never heard of opera; at least there was a man singing with the woman instead of two girls together. And after the songs in foreign languages, they did a group of songs he knew. The man's voice was wonderfully romantic in "Cherry Blossoms" and it throbbed with emotion when he sang "Ue o Muite Arukou." He had to admit he sounded a lot better than Otousan Morishima in his cups.

_I wonder what Otousan would make of all this?_ Hodaka almost giggled aloud. He'd probably sing along and add something from a flask to the punch, too. Then he'd ask for "Grand Escape" Just as he had asked Hina to sing it…

The room and the people in it and the music disappeared for him, and he heard Hina's voice booming inside the overturned sloop, felt her arms holding him to her warmth. _She can't do without me. She'll come to me this time. It's my turn._

Hodaka didn't realize that he was smiling during a touching rendition of "La Folia de Spagna."

* * *

The next day, he sent a text message to his mother, telling her that he had arrived in Numazu. Then he set off for the Morishima's shop. He looked quickly along the storefronts on the other side of Nakamise Shotengai, Numazu's place to shop. Surely there must be a store bearing the family name somewhere close by.

The bold hiragana characters that spelled out MORISHIMA stretched across the wall above five gleaming windows almost directly opposite. _My, they've come up in the world since I was here last, _Hodaka thought. _That doesn't look musty at all. _He plunged into the tangled traffic of cars, bikes, and rickshaws that filled the busy street.

The Morishima store smelled of fresh paint, not long-settled dust. A green tarlatan banner draped across the front of the counter in the rear gave the reason in gold letters: GRAND OPENING. Hodaka looked around enviously. The store was more than twice the size of the McDonalds where he met Hina and he could see that the stock was fresher and more varied. Neatly labelled boxes and bolts of bright fabrics filled shelves to the ceiling; barrels of meals and flours were lined up along the floor, not far from the electric stove in the center; and huge glass jars of candy stood temptingly on the tall counter. His uncles were moving up in the world for sure. The store he and his parents visited in 2015 wasn't in the central, fashionable part of Nakamise Shotengai, and it was dark, cluttered, even more so than the stores on Kozushima. It would be interesting to find out what this handsome expansion had cost his uncles. He might just consider a few of their ideas for his own business once he graduated college.

He walked quickly to the counter. "I'd like to see Morishima-san, if you please," he said to the tall, aproned man who was measuring out some celebration lantern into a customer's glass jug.

"In a moment, if you'll be so kind as to wait, sir," the man said without looking up. His voice had just a hint of Tōkai–Tōsan brogue in it.

_That makes sense,_ thought Hodaka. _Hire guys from Shizuoka for a shop run by people of the Tōkai region._ He looked at the labels on the shelved boxes in front of him while the man wrapped the lantern in brown paper and made change.

The man behind the counter had to speak again before Hodaka heard him. "I'm Morishima-san," he repeated. "How might I be of service to you?"

_Oh, shit, this wasn't the uncles' store after all! They must still be where they'd always been_.

"I was looking for an elderly Morishima-san, Shuichi-san or Saburo-san." Hodaka explained hurriedly. "Can you direct me to their store?"

"But this is their store. I'm their nephew."

"Oh… oh, my goodness. Then you must be my cousin. I'm Hodaka, Shuji's son. From Kozushima." Hodaka held out both his hands. A cousin! A big, strong, not-an-old-man cousin of his own. He felt as if he'd just been given a surprise present.

"Jiro, that's me," said his cousin with a laugh, taking his hands in his. "Jiro Morishima at your service, Hodaka Morishima. I've heard many things about you from Aunt Etsuko and Uncle Shuji. How do you come to be here for the grand opening of the new store? Come—let me get you a chair."

Hodaka sat down as Jiro spoke with elation.

"Uncle Saburo will be longing to see you Hodaka. He's four years younger than your father, so at least he's still active. He and Uncle Shuichi live in the house with me and my wife and children. It's not far from here. Will you come to tea this afternoon and see them all? My older brother Ichiro will be back soon from making deliveries, and I'll walk you to the house. We're celebrating my daughter Patsuko's birthday today. All the family will be there."

"A birthday for my cousin's daughter? Around the same time my grandfather from my mother's side is turning 80? I'd love to go!"

Hodaka might have guessed that Patsuko, his first cousin once removed, would be around his age. There was none of the strict, abusive nature of his father in Jiro's eyes that he could see. From what Hodaka could tell, he was a kind, strong soul who was just like himself. A soul worth living with.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, Jiro and Hodaka drove off to the Morishima house by his truck and drove through the middle-class neighborhoods. Then, very soon, he turned onto the handsome, well-kept neighborhood of the Sunto District and announced, "Here we are," in front of a tall, substantial traditional house.

"How nice!" Hodaka said, with all his heart.

It was almost the last thing he got to say for some time. Instead of climbing the stairs to the big door on the high stoop, Jiro opened a smaller door at street level and ushered him into the kitchen and an overwhelming onslaught of people, all of them raven-headed and all of them noisily welcoming when he shouted out above the hubbub of greetings, "This is Hodaka, my uncle Shuji Morishima's son come all the way from Kozushima to see Uncle Saburo and Uncle Shuichi."

_There are so many of them,_ Hodaka thought when they rushed toward him. Jiro's laughter when the youngest girl and a little boy grabbed him around the knees made it impossible to understand what he was saying.

Then a large stout woman, with hair blacker than any of them, held out a roughened hand to Hodaka. "Welcome to the house," she said placidly. "I'm Jiro's wife, Makuma. Pay no attention to these savages; come sit at the table and have a cup of sake." She took Hodaka's arm in a firm grip and drew him into the room. "Quiet, you heathens, let your otousan catch his breath, can't you? Then wash your faces and come meet Hodaka one by one." She plucked Hodaka's rain coat from his shoulders. "Put this on the coat rack, Mariko, would you please?" The larger of the girls bobbed a curtsey in Hodaka's direction and held out eager hands for the fur. Her blue eyes were huge with admiration. Hodaka smiled at her. And at Makuma, even though Jiro's wife was pushing him down onto a chair as if she thought Hodaka was one of her children to be ordered around.

In an instant Hodaka found himself holding the biggest cup he had ever seen in one hand while, with the other, he was shaking hands with a startlingly beautiful young girl who whispered, "He looks cute," to her mother, and, "I'm Hikari," to Hodoka.

"Hello, Hikari."

The girl known as Mariko bowed to Hodaka.

"My name is Mariko and I am honored to be your cousin."

Hodaka wanted to say no pardon was needed, but he had no chance. Jiro came up holding an adorably rambunctious child. "And this little devil is Seno, named Jako like a good boy because he was born right here in Numazu. We call him Jiji. Say hello to your cousin, Jiji, if you've got a tongue in your head."

"Hello!" shouted the little boy, then shrieked with excitement when his father turned him away

"What's all this now?" The noise, except for Jiji's giggles, died down at once when the thin querulous tones cut through the racket. Hodaka looked across the kitchen and saw a tall man who must be his Uncle Shuichi. There was a pretty girl with dark curly hair at his side. He looked alarmed and timid.

Makuma raised her voice. "You have a visitor, Uncle Shuichi. A special one if I may say so. Jiro left the store with Ichiro so he could bring him to you. Hodaka has come to see you."

Hodaka stood up and smiled. "Hello, Uncle Shuichi, do you remember me?"

The man stared at him. "Last time I saw you, you were about ten."

Hodaka's mind raced backwards. Uncle Shuichi was right. At that time, he was about as tall as Uncle Saburo's waist. "Yes, I have," he said.

"Good," pronounced his uncle. "There are too many children in this house already."

The girl beside him formed her mouth in the shape of an "O", then turned and ran out of the room.

"Uncle Shuichi, you shouldn't be tormenting him so," said Jiro severely.

The man walked to the kitchen table and rubbed his hands under the warmth of the AC. "She shouldn't be such an impudent girl," he said. "The Morishimas don't weep over their troubles. Makuma, I'll have my sake now while I talk to Shuji's boy." He sat in the chair next to Hodaka's. "Tell me about Okasan's funeral. We should have been there, but we had the shop to run. We did mourn for her though with a shrine and everything. Did Shuji bury your grandmother in fine style?"

"It was nothing important," Hodaka said, shaking his head. "Except for Otousan hitting me when I tried to help him from joining Oba-chan in the grave."

"He hit you?"

"It was just a slap," Hodaka said like it was nothing. "When Uncle Saburo gets here, I can tell you and him about my adventure to Tokyo three years ago."

Uncle Shuichi took a sip of his sake, letting the taste satisfy his throat.

"I can wait," he said quickly.

"An adventure to Tokyo?" Jiji overheard. "How did you do it?"

"Tell us about it!" added Hikari.

Hodaka stirred in his chair and waved his arms up.

"Let's not be impatient. Wait until Uncle Saburo comes home. Then I can tell you the whole story. Where is Uncle Saburo, by the way?"

"At the movies with his wife, your Aunt Kiki. They should be returning home soon."

They didn't have to wait long. The kids played games on their phones and tablets for five minutes when Uncle Saburo came home with Aunt Kiki. As Jiro had described, he was about four years younger than Shuji and Kiki, while a charming looking young lady, seemed awkward and clumsy in her step as she nearly tripped on the front stoop.

"Hello, Uncle Saburo," Hodaka smiled.

"Hodaka-kun?" Uncle Saburo blinked his eyes. "I haven't seen you since you were about as tall as my hips. What brings you all the way out here and where are your parents?"

"I decided to let them stay, especially since Otousan is still mourning for Oba-chan, God rest her soul. At least I'm lucky to attend Patsuko's birthday party, right?"

"Quite right," said Aunt Kiki, smoothing her dress from the fall. "So how have you been doing these past couple of years? Saburo told me from Shuji told us that you ran away to Tokyo three years ago and now you're attending college."

"I am," Hodaka smiled proudly and he repeated most of the story he told to Ojiisan Okazaki to everyone present in the room.

"I shouldn't blame my brother for being a terrible dad," said Uncle Shuichi. "He was the middle child in our family and he always wanted to prove himself better than any of us. I guess all that studying to be the perfect father went to his head."

"I should also thank you for the money you sent me on my sixteenth birthday," Hodaka smiled. "If it hadn't been for that, I probably would have had to swim all the way to Tokyo."

The kids laughed and Makuma raised her arms like politician giving out a big speech.

"There will be plenty of time for jokes at the party. Right now, we must get ready for Pastuko's party."

* * *

Over the next fourteen minutes, everyone was getting ready for the party. They had wrapped up all the presents, carried a few balloons and wore fancy party hats. During all of this, Hodaka asked his uncle.

"Do you know if my grandmother really was as wise as everyone back home on Kozushima says she was?"

"She was that," said Saburo. "When do we have the birthday cake, Makuma? And where is Sakuma?"

Hodaka looked around the circle of dark-topped faces. He was sure he hadn't heard the name Sakuma. Maybe it was the dark-haired girl who had run away.

"She's fixing her own feast, Uncle Saburo," said Makuma. "You know how particular she is. We're to go next door as soon as Sodakai comes to tell us she's ready."

Sodakai? Patsuko? Next door?

Makuma saw the questions on Hodaka's face. "Did Saburo not tell you, Hodaka? There are three households of Morishimas here now. You've only just begun to meet your people."

_I'll never get them all straight, _thought Hodaka desperately._ If only they'd stay in one place!_

But there was no hope of that. Patsuko was holding her birthday party in the double parlors of her house, with the sliding doors between them open as wide as they would go. The children—and there were many of them—were playing games, both physical and on their portable computers, that required a great deal of running and hiding and popping out from behind chairs and draperies. Some who were on their phones and tablets just stayed put. The adults darted from time to time after a child who was getting too boisterous, or swooped to pick up one of the small ones who had fallen and needed comforting. It didn't seem to matter whose child it was. All the adults played parent to all the children.

To Hodaka, it was all a hopeless muddle.

"Isn't it confusing?" said a voice beside him. It was Makuma. "Don't let it bother you, Hodaka, you'll puzzle them out in time."

Hodaka smiled and nodded politely. But he had no intention of "puzzling them out." He was going to ask Jiro to walk her home just as soon as she could. It was too noisy here with all those kids, who reminded him of Nagi in some way, running around. The silent blue house of the head family seemed like a refuge. At least there he had his aunt and uncle to talk to. Here he couldn't say a word to a soul. They were all too busy chasing children or hugging and kissing Patsuko. Hodaka looked at all of these people whom he had only known a few times in his entire lifetime and never bothered to visit during his excursion three years ago because he never thought about it. He wanted to make it on his own without the help of anyone no matter how kind they were (even though he changed his mind after going broke and meeting Hina) Here, he felt like a stranger. Left out. Unimportant. Just like Tokyo. Just like Kozushima. And these were his own kin! It made things a hundred times worse.

"We'll be cutting the cake now," Makuma said. She slipped her arm through Hodaka's. "Then we'll have a bit of music."

Hodaka clenched his teeth. _My God, I've sat through one concert already in Numazu. Can't these people do anything else?_ He walked with Makuma to a settee covered in red plush and settled herself stiffly on the edge of the seat.

A knife clattering against a glass demanded everyone's attention. Something that was almost silence came into the crowd. "I thank you for as long as it lasts," Jiro said. He waved his knife menacingly at the laughter. "We've come to celebrate Patsuko's birthday, even though it will not arrive until next week. We have a further cause for celebration. A long lost Morishima has been found again. I lift this glass for all the Morishimas in a toast to Cousin Hodaka and bid him welcome to our hearts and our homes." Jiro threw back his head and poured the dark contents of his glass down his throat. "Bring on the feast!" He commanded with a sweeping gesture. "And the kokyū!"

There was an outburst of giggles from the doorway and the sound of hissing calls for silence. Patsuko came over and seated herself next to Hodaka. Then, from a corner, a kokyū began to play. Jiro's beautiful daughter Hikari walked in carrying a platter of teriyaki rice dishes. She bent over to show them to Patsuko and Hodaka, then carefully carried them to the heavy round parlor table in the center of the room and set the platter on the velvet cloth that covered it. Hikari was followed by Mariko then the pretty girl who had been with Uncle Shuichi, then the youngest of the Morishima wives. All of them presented the platters they were carrying to Hodaka and Patsuko before adding them to the food on the table. A roast of beef, a clove-studded ham, a bulging turkey. Then Hikari appeared again with a huge bowl of steaming potatoes, followed more quickly now by the others with fresh carrots, steamed onions, udon noodles. Again and again the procession came until the table was covered with food and relishes of every kind. The kokyū—Hodaka saw that Ichiro from the store was playing—played a flourishing arpeggio, and Makuma entered carrying a tower of a cake liberally trimmed with huge, vividly pink icing roses.

In a surprisingly short time, there was calm where there had been chaos. And while they ate and talked, Hodaka tried to "puzzle out" the adults.

He could hardly believe that Ichiro was almost two years older than Jiro, yet they looked so much alike. The girls Hikari and Mariko could easily pass for twins if not for their age difference.

But Hodaka had little time to listen for the names of the others. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to talk to him. And everything he said was cause for exclamation, repetition, admiration. He told the story of how he and Hina set up their online business again and again until it was time for them to dance.

The songs that Ichiro selected were "Sakura Sakura", Hodaka's father's favorite and "Teru-teru-bōzu". Both of which were traditional folk songs. Hearing the latter tune reminded Hodaka of the time he, Hina and Nagi set out on their sunshine service to bring clear skies and happiness to everyone who requested it, birthdays being one of them. Seeing Nagi in that adorable little bōzu costume brought some form of happiness into his face as he watched his relatives dancing like there was no tomorrow. They parted around in a circle, setting the table aside to give more room for the dancers. Everyone laughed. Including Hodaka, though he didn't know why. In an instant the big room rang with the music of a j-pop concert. This wasn't at all like the classical strings of the Salieri concert, it was full of life, energy and the spirit of adventure that brought him to Hina three years ago. Hikari even selected her favorite tune "Gake no ue no Ponyo", a 20 year old children's song from her favorite movie.

Hodaka had danced the Nihon buyo a fee times or more, but he'd never seen dancing like what happened next at Patsuko's birthday party. Jiji Morishima began it. With his shoulders straight and his arms stiff at his side he looked like a soldier when he stepped away from his chair. Then his feet began to pound and flash and twist and move so quickly that they blurred in Hodaka's vision. The floor became a resounding drum under his heels, became like polished ice under his intricate impossible steps forward and back. _He must be the best dancer in the whole world,_ Hodaka thought. And then Makuma danced out to face him, the skirts of her kimono held up in her two hands so that her feet were free to match his steps. Mariko was next, then Jiro joined his daughter. And beautiful Hikari with a cousin, a little boy who couldn't be older than eight. _I don't believe it,_ Hodaka thought. _They're magic, all of them. The music's magic, too. _His feet moved, faster than they'd ever moved before, trying to mimic what he was seeing, trying to express the excitement of the music.

_I've got to learn to dance like that, I've just got to. It's like… like you spin right up to the sun._

Hodaka was still half in a trance from the spell of the music after another hour had passed. He looked vaguely at the windows and was jolted back to reality. It was getting dark. The cup of sake he'd come for had stretched into hours.

"Oh, Makuma, I'm going to be late for supper," he gasped. "I've got to go home. My grandfather will be furious."

"Let him be, the old baka. Stay for the party. It's only beginning."

"I wish I could," said Hodaka fervently. "It's the best party I've ever been to in my life. But I promised I'd be back."

"You'll come again, won't you?"

"I'd love to. Will you invite me so I can learn the steps?"

"I'm sure that Jiro would love to."

"Thank you," Hodaka bowed and he rushed out the door.

Hodaka bore his aunt and uncle's tight-lipped disapproval with easy disregard. Even being called out for wearing his trainers inside by his grandfather failed to upset him. he remembered Makuma Morishima's off-handed dismissal of him. _Old baka_, he thought, and giggled internally. It made him brave and impertinent enough to sashay over to his bed and kiss his cheek after he dismissed him. "Good night, Ojii-chan," he said cheerfully.

"Old baka," he whispered when he was safely in the hall. She was laughing when she joined her aunts at table. His supper was brought promptly. The plate was covered with a brightly shining silver dish cover to keep the food hot. Hodaka was sure it was newly polished. This house could run really properly, she thought, if it just had someone to keep the servants in line. Grandfather lets them get away with murder. Old loo-la.

"What do you find so amusing, Hodaka?" Paka's tone was icy.

"Nothing, Aunt Paka." Hodaka looked down at the mountain of food revealed when Kenta ceremoniously lifted the silver cover. He laughed aloud. For once in his life he wasn't hungry, not after the feast at the Morishimas'. And there was enough food in front of him to feed a half dozen people. He must have put the fear of God into the kitchen.

* * *

The next morning, he woke up to find a text message from his phone. The sender was none other than Suga.

_Damn! _He'd thought it was from Hina, begging him to come home or telling him that she was on her way to fetch him so that they could go back to college together.

_Better see what Suga had to say._ As he read the message, Hodaka began to smile.

_When are you coming back? I could certainly use your help at work and I'm already stressed out because Natsumi's baby is due to arrive next week or so. By the way, Hina wishes your grandfather a happy birthday._

So Hina was looking for him. Just what he's expected. He'd been so right to come to Numazu.

_Hina must have read my letter and is now herself again. If she comes, I'll be glad to be away from here so I can finally get back on my own path._

Hodaka hummed his father's favorite tune and danced around the room holding his phone against his heart. She might even be on her way now. The train from Tokyo arrived just about this time of day. He ran to the mirror to smooth his hair and comb it back. Should he change his clothes? No, Hina would notice, and it would make her think he wasn't doing anything except wait for her. He rubbed a stick of deodorant around his arms, armpits and across his chest. There. He was ready. His eyes, he saw, were glowing gold like a prowling panther's. He walked out to the station and seated himself where he'd be able to watch the trains coming and going.

An hour later, Hina hadn't come. Hodka's small white teeth tore at a roll from the bakery bag he had purchased on the way. What a bother this was! Imagine having to hide in his room and eat rolls without even any butter to put on them. He was in a very bad mood when returned to the Okazaki house.

When he returned, there was Kenta with his grandfather's supper tray.

Hodaka stopped him in the hall. "This food looks terrible," he said. "Take it back and put big lumps of butter on the mashed potatoes. Put a thick slice of ham on the plate, too; I know you've got a ham down there, I saw it hanging in the larder. And add a pitcher of cream to pour on that pudding. A little bowl of strawberry jam, too."

"Okazaki-san cannot chew on any ham. And his doctor says he's not supposed to eat sweets, nor cream and butter neither."

"The doctor doesn't want him to starve to death, either. Now do what I say."

Hodaka looked angrily at Kenta's stiff back until he disappeared down the stairs. "Nobody should have to go hungry," he said. "Not ever." Her mood changed abruptly and she giggled. "Not even an old baka."

* * *

Fortified by his rolls, Hodaka was cheerfully singing under his breath when he went downstairs on the 25th. He found his aunt and uncle in a nervous frenzy of preparation for his grandfather's birthday dinner. While Paka wrestled with branches of dark green magnolia leaves for arrangements on the sideboard and mantel, Tombo was going through stacks of heavy linen tablecloths and napkins, trying to find the ones he remembered as his father's favorite.

"What difference does it make?" Hodaka asked impatiently. Ojiisan wouldn't even see the dining room table from his room. "Just pick the one that shows the darning least."

Uncle Tombo dropped an armload of rattling leaves. "I didn't hear you come in, Hodaka. Good morning."

"Good morning, Uncle Tombo. Would it be all right if I went and bought a present?"

"I don't see why not," Uncle Tombo said.

"Do you need anything while I'm out?"

Paka and Tombo shook their heads no.

Then Hodaka said.

"This might sound controversial; but would it be all right if I visited the Morishimas? Their shop at least? I'm also interested in learning a dance step. Maybe the birthday celebration could use some lightening up with something more…exciting."

"Why bother them?" Aunt Paka said like it was nothing. "They're your father's family, not ours."

Happy at this answer, Hodaka got his shoes on and dashed away to the shop.

When he arrived, Ichiro was already checking over the prices of each item.

"Hello again, cousin," said Ichiro as Hodaka left the door to close by itself. "I trust you'll be seeking my brother for private lessons on how to tap dance."

"Yes, but only for maybe an hour or two, I've got to get something for Ojii-chan's birthday."

"If he's so rich," Ichiro retorted. "He should consider buying himself whatever he like."

"Even so, I would like to learn some dance steps."

"My brother is out buying supplies for the store. But I can show you at least a few steps from my knowledge."

He brought his right foot out, tapped quickly thrice, then did the same with his left foot. Hodaka repeated after him, but pretty soon, he was tapping around in a circle, dancing to some invisible music. At any rate, he would feel more like a Scotsman than a Japanese. After two minutes, he stopped, catching a few whiffs of breath.

"I only have one day left here. Perhaps I can visit Jiro tomorrow so I can learn some more steps from him."

"I'll see to that," Ichiro nodded before Hodaka thanked him and left for the door.

* * *

He went to a clothing store that was further down the Nakamise and bought himself a midnight blue haori, light blue undergarments with a matching kimono, a blue coat cord, a light blue obi embroidered with flowers and a snow-white hakama. Then he left the store, carrying the kimono in a brown bag and decided to a walk around town to clear his head, the light rain pelting harmlessly upon his thick black hair, all the while making sure that his kimono was not getting wet. He changed into the attire by the time the sun was starting to go down and he joined his aunt and uncle, who were sitting on the floor at the dinner table. Both of them were dressed in their finest kimonos, complete with dragonfly and cat accessories.

"Happy birthday, Otousan," greeted Uncle Tombo in a calm voice when he saw his father enter the room.

Norio Okazaki was no longer a night-shirted, frail elderly man. Impeccably clothed in an old-fashioned uniform with medals that had been recently polished and shined up, his thin body looked larger, and his erect military bearing was impressive even when he was seated. His white hair was like an old mop, his eyes were hawk-like under his thick white brows, and his big bony nose looked like a predator's beak. The certainty that it was a good day began to ooze out of Hodaka. He unfolded the huge starched linen napkin over his lap and knees and braced himself for he knew not what.

Kenta entered, bearing a big sukiyaki dish on a silver tray the size of a small tabletop. Hodaka's eyes widened. He'd never seen silver like that in his life. It was encrusted with ornamentation. An entire forest of trees circled the base of the sukiyaki, their branches and leaves curving upward to surround the rim. Within the forest there were birds and animals—bears, deer, wild boar, hares, pheasant, even owls and squirrels on the limbs of the trees. The lid of the sukiyaki was shaped like a tree stump covered with thick vines, each vine bearing clusters of miniature, perfect ripe grapes. Kenta placed the sukiyaki in front of his master and lifted the lid with a white-gloved hand. Steam poured out, clouding the silver and spreading the delicious aroma of fried shrimp throughout the room.

Paka and Tombo leaned forward, smiling anxiously.

Kenta took a soup plate from the sideboard and held it next to the sukiyaki. Norio Okazaki lifted a silver ladle and silently filled the bowl with miso soup. Then he watched with half-hooded eyes while Kenta carried the bowl and deposited it in front of Paka.

The ceremony was repeated for Tombo, then for Hodaka. His fingers itched to grab his spoon. But he kept his hands in her lap while his grandfather served himself and tasted the soup. He shrugged eloquent dissatisfaction and dropped his spoon into his bowl.

Tombo let out a strangled sob.

_Oh, just relax, I think he's in a good mood. _Hodaka thought. He began to eat his miso soup. It was a velvety richness of flavor. He tried to catch Tombo's eyes so that he could show his uncle that he was enjoying the soup, but Tombo was downcast. Paka's spoon was in the bowl, like her father-in-law's. Hodaka lost all sympathy for his aunt and uncle. If they were going to be terrorized this easily, they deserved to go hungry. He wasn't going to let the old man keep him from him dinner!

What a difference between this birthday feast and the one for his cousin Patsuko!

The room was practically quiet by the time the next entrée of obanzai was served. His aunt and uncle tried to be as quiet as they could while chopping away at the food with their chopsticks, quietly and slowly chewing with their mouths closed.

Hodaka looked at his grandfather's skeletal ramrod body and his self-satisfied impassive face, and he despised him for the way he was tormenting his aunt and uncle. But he continued to sit quietly, incapable of defying his grandfather's tyranny.

He sat for what seemed an eternity, watching Kenta's stately slow service. Plates were replaced again and again by new plates, knives and forks by fresh knives, chopsticks and forks; it seemed to Hodaka that the feast would never end. Norio Okazaki consistently tasted and rejected each carefully selected and prepared dish that was offered him. By the time Kenta brought in the birthday cake, the tension and misery of Hodaka's aunt and uncle was palpable, and Hodaka himself was barely able to sit still in his place, so urgent was his longing to escape.

_Just like with my home,_ he thought.

The cake was coated in glossy swirled meringue that had been sprinkled liberally with silver kompeitōs. A silver filigreed bud vase on top held curling fronds of Angel Hair ferns and miniature silk flags of Imperial Japan, the Emperor Hirohito's army, and the regiment in which Norio's father Noriyuki had served in during the Pacific Theater. The old man grunted, perhaps with pleasure, when it was placed before him. He turned his hooded eyes on Hodaka. "Cut it," he said in his deep voice.

_He hopes I'll knock over the flags,_ he thought_, but I'm not going to give him that pleasure._ As he accepted the cake knife from Kenta with his right hand, with his left he quickly lifted the shining bud vase from the cake and put it on the table. He looked directly into his grandfather's eyes and smiled his sweetest smile.

His lips twitched.

"What's the matter Ojii-chan, not enjoying your cake?"

Ojiisan finally cracked a smile at him before it transformed into a nasty scowl.

"A very nice joke, mago, but one that I find to be a vicious and rather cruel joke."

"My apologizes, Ojii-chan," Hodaka complimented with a nod. "But seeing that I am leaving tomorrow, I would like to thank you for your kindness and hospitality."

_Not that he seemed like the hospitable type to my aunt and uncle._

"You are very welcome, Hodaka, to come back any time. That is a matter of supreme indifference to me. However, the only thing I must tolerate is that you obey my rules next time."

"I already have and I already will," Hodaka said proudly.

Uncle Tombo and Aunt Paka exchanged worried looks.

"One of these days I ought to buy a house for ourselves," whispered Uncle Tombo. "I am starting to see why our nephew ran away to Tokyo in the first place."

After finishing three more pieces of cake, Hodaka knew when enough was enough. He practically kowtowed before his grandfather, thanked him for the feast and went to bed with a filling large enough put him under a deep sleep.

He dreamed of a new future with Hina, thinking about the ring that was still lying there in his jacket pocket. It's yellow diamond which almost matched the color of his eyes, seemed to be a mirror to his own eyes and they glistened in the hidden sun like a pure gold. He was back in the sky, falling with Hina just as he did three years ago, proclaiming his love seven times over as they fell all the way down to the shrine where she first revealed her weather-bending powers to him.

Then he thought about his relatives, his mind on the threshold between the high and mighty Okazakis, to the modest, but energetically loving Morishimas. It was clear that he had gotten his spirit of energy and adventure from them, while his own father, having his own troubles as the middle child, decided to take his anger out on his son like a barbarian in addition to wanting him to be a perfect member of society. After reviewing how many cousins and Morishima relatives he had so far, Hodaka now began to see why his father wanted to move to Kozushima, it was quiet, peaceful and far away from his brothers and their families as possible. But that didn't stop Shuji from bringing his parents along when he and Hodaka's mother moved in. He could have guessed that this was because of his father's mutual respect towards his parents. Still, as he only knew his grandmother physically, Hodaka wondered if it was worth listening to her stories about his grandfather and her and his relatives after all.

Nevertheless, he had only one day left, and he was planning to leave for Tokyo on that day. He planned to get up bright and early the next morning so that he could say goodbye to his Morishima relatives, as well as learn some more dance steps from Cousin Jiro so that he could impress both Hina and his classmates the next time they went out to a dance. As for his aunt and uncle, well…all the advice he needed to give them was to stand up to Ojiisan and tell him that they were not going to put up with his rules or his domineering tyranny any longer. But since Ojiisan was rather nice to him, Hodaka intended to spend no more than an hour tomorrow morning with him at breakfast to thank him again for letting him stay. Even so, he had his mother to thank for the invite. He got out his phone, about to text his mother back, but vetoed against it.

_Nah, I think I'll do it tomorrow. It's too late anyway._

* * *

It was around this time that Natsumi finally had her baby on the third floor of the Seibo Hospital. The child was a healthy baby girl that she and Wadashi named Ame in honor of the cat Hodaka befriended when he came to Tokyo, who had used up all of his nine lives during the two-and-a-half-year absence. Another reason was because it was raining, obviously. In another two years, she would be blessed with Natsumi's brown hair and her beautiful pink-indigo eyes. Mr and Mrs. Mamiya also christened Ame with the middle name Asuka, after their daughter and Suga's wife. Nagi and Moka seemed happy and a little irritated to have another child in the house, but they hoped that they would make the new baby feel as loved as they were themselves.

Hina thought of naming the baby after her own mother Megumi. But of course, the christening had already been settled. When they got back to the Suga residence, Ame's very first birthday party was a balanced mixture of somewhere in between Patsuko and Ojiisan Okazaki's own parties. All they had to eat were sakes, M&Ms, some jello and almost every desert that remained fresh in the freezer. The music was quiet and soothing so as not to scare Ame with a brand of music that would be too loud for her newborn ears. The Mamiyas and Suga kissed their grandniece three to six times over. Nagi and Moka took turns holding Ame and it was Wadashi who took her into bed with his wife, whose stomach was still appearing to look pregnant. He reassured a despondent Natsumi that it would be at least a few days before her stomach was back to normal and she could fully recover from that painful delivery. Thinking that the milk in his wife's breasts wouldn't last long enough to refill themselves, Wadashi planned to go out to the store tomorrow and buy some milk for Ame.

Natsumi, relieved from the experience, had but a few words to say for all the other mothers living in a flooded city that shared her previous condition.

"I just hope we won't have to go through that again. One baby a year is enough for me. If it was somebody else. That's a different story altogether."

She turned out the light on her bedside table and gently rocked her precious Ame into the deep darkness of sleep.

When Hina woke up the next morning, having spent the night at the Suga place, she felt something strange going on. A pain that was wearing her down had shot up and down from both her stomach and her forehead. She placed her right hand on her forehead and she could feel that it was warm. Perhaps Nagi had spread his germs onto her when he was sick, or perhaps there was something in the food that she ate last night…or perhaps, something else. Whatever it was, she considered finding the answer to herself, especially since it was it was only about 6:00 AM.

Careful not to wake Natsumi and Wadashi's baby, she tip-toed all the way to the bathroom. But her footing seemed to have gotten weak and she found herself holding on to the wall for support. Her right hand reached for the door and slowly opened it up. Then she dashed to the sink and gripped it tightly, looking up at the mirror. Her face looked weak and pathetic as if that description were not horrible enough, she felt an unpleasant substance and her throat and she aimed her mouth over the toilet, gripping the seat. With a loud "BLECH!" she threw up something that she could only describe as a dirty orange, like a polluted version of orange juice that you see in a sewer or a trash dump before it all dried up.

After another three upchucks, she sat back on her behind, back to the wall, breathing heavily as she mused over the cause of her illness.

_That's odd, I'm never sick in the morning. What could it be?_

One thing was certain though: she and Hodaka were going to be the illegitimate parents of a child that they never expected to take part in their lives.


	7. Powers Revealed

The morning greeted Hodaka in a warm and friendly light. He sent a simple message to his mother, which read: "Ojii-chan just celebrated his birthday. Wish you were here," and got up from bed to get dressed. After packing all of his clothes and his traditional attire, he went over to the hallway and knocked on Ojiisan's door.

"Enter," came the quiet voice.

Hodaka stepped through the door. His walk to his grandfather's bed was brave and straightly-structured. He sat down on the chair; his mind having already chosen the right words.

"I want to thank you again, Ojii-chan for your hospitality. If you understand how much I need to meet my train…I think it would be best if I left right now before saying."

"But before you go," Ojiisan said. "I have a great deal to say to you. I'm sure your mother would want me to tell you this. I am in good health, considering my age, but it is not likely in simple mathematics that I will live much longer. I am asking you, my grandchild, to stay with me for the time I have left."

Hodaka started to speak, but the old man raised one thin hand to stop him. "I haven't finished," he said. "I do not appeal to your sense of family duty, even though I know that you have acted responsibly toward the needs of your aunt and uncle during your visit here. I am prepared to make you a fair offer, even a generous one. If you will remain in this house as its chatelaine and see to my comforts and conform with my wishes, you will inherit my entire estate when I die. It is not inconsiderable."

Hodaka was dumbfounded. He was offering him a fortune! He thought what his mother would think of it, and wondered just how much his grandfather was worth.

"How much money are we talking?"

"Five million yen at most. With it, you can find a suitable wife, buy gifts to shower her and maybe even a new home to start your own family…just like what your mother did when she ran off with your father."

Hodaka had his doubts.

"After the way I've seen you act towards my aunt and uncle, I'm beginning to see why she wanted to go to Kozushima with Otousan."

"They are younger, but they lack the discipline that made this family the most respected in all of Numazu."

_Or the least respected given your attitude._

After a silent six seconds, Hodaka made his answer.

"I'm sorry, Ojii-chan, but I don't think I am ready for your inheritance. You could however, ask Uncle Tombo and Aunt Paka if they would like it…if you were nicer to them."

"That will be for me to decide. As you are much younger than them, it would wiser if my estate was handled by someone much younger and more responsible in my family line."

"Regardless of how responsible I was back on that island, it's my choice to make, Ojii-chan, not yours. Besides, there are far more important things in life than money."

He walked quickly to the door and pulled it open.

Walking back to his room, Hodaka took one more look at himself in the mirror, combing his hair back to look nice and neat for the farewells he intending to give unto his Morishima cousins and uncles. After putting the brush down, Hodaka smoothed his cheeks which had completely healed from the slap he suffered at his father's hand and whatever injuries he might have gotten from the boat ride with Hina on the night of the ball. Then he took a closer glance at his own face, squinting…

His face and his entire body had mentally transformed back into his sixteen year old self, with three bandages festooned if not plastered against the middle of his face, scruffy hair and overall stature that made folks perceive him as a homeless boy without a friend in the world or a family to turn to.

But those people were quite wrong; Hodaka did have a family, a large one in fact and he made plenty of friends during his escape to Tokyo. With this reassurance, he shook his head wildly and his reflection returned to normal. Satisfied, Hodaka picked up his suitcase and disappeared from the room, never once looking back.

"We'll miss you," said Aunt Paka when he was outside.

"Can we take you the train station?" Uncle Tombo offered.

"No thanks," Hodaka said sweetly. "I know the way."

He waved his aunt and uncle goodbye and struck off on foot towards the Morshima family's house. He had plenty of time to get to the station and say goodbye.

* * *

Remembering whatever he could of the exact directions, he walked his way up the road to find the Sunto District, which was a pretty long walk by foot. At any rate, he would have to take an Uber ride over there. He did so and the driver came and picked him up in two minutes flat. He give the driver the addressed that he remembered, followed by another forty minutes' drive and he was at the house. Then Hodaka thanked the driver, paid him with his credit card and dashed his way to the front door.

Makuma heard him knocking on the door and she rushed over to open it. Seeing her cousin bought a bright smile to her face.

"Hello again, Hodaka."

"Hello, Makuma. I just said goodbye to Okasan's family and now I've come to say goodbye to you too."

"Perhaps you should come in and say your farewells to everyone. At least you'll be out of the cold this way."

She ushered Hodaka into the living room where almost everyone was gathered. Some of the little ones were eating and playing mobile games in the kitchen. He could hear the music and laughter through the door to Maureen's kitchen. Her two fists beat on it until Jiro opened it.

"It's Hodaka!" he said with pleased surprise. "Come in, Hodaka darling, and meet Sun Chang-min. He's our priest from South Korea. Think of him as a family friend."

"That I am," bowed Chang-min with a smile.

Now that he was close to him, Hodaka could see that Sun Chang-min was years younger than Jiro and not really all that much like his father, except for his round face and short stature among his taller peers. Chang-min's blue eyes were darker, more serious, and his round chin had a firmness that Hodaka had seen on his father's face only a long time ago when he took his family on those boat rides. In short, given his name and appearance, he was, by all accounts, a Korean.

Chang-min smiled when Jiro introduced them, and his eyes were almost lost in a network of creases. Yet the warmth gleaming from them made Hodaka feel that meeting him was the happiest experience of his entire life. "And are you not the luckiest family on the face of the earth, to have such a creature one of us?" he said. "Your relatives have told me all about your escapade to Tokyo, Hodaka. And I must say you have had quite an experience to be involved with an actual weather-maiden. I wish it were the same with us back in South Korea."

Hodaka was bewildered. "Is South Korea suffering a draught?"

Chang-min answered him without humor. "It is. We hardly seem to be getting any rain because of the one that started back nine years ago and in spite of best efforts to keep the crops growing, we could certainly use some rain."

Then Hodaka came up with a suggestion, one which would lead to unexpected results.

"Have you ever tried praying for the rain?"

"Most of us have tried, but, God seems to have forsaken us."

"I think what you need is someone like Hina. But instead of sun you get rain. It's almost as easy as doing something like this."

He closed his eyes, just like Hina. He stood straight, almost exactly like Hina. He clasped his hands together the same way Hina did and his mind focused on the rain, picturing a mental image of grey skies falling over a dry field, spreading it's waters all over the crops and repainting the colors of the mountains from brown to green.

But after seven seconds had passed, the most unexpected thing happened outside: what started as a drizzle turned into a heavy shower. The drops grew in size, the pounding grew louder, the wind was blowing faster and the skies grew foggier.

Everyone's attention was caught by the boom of thunder outside. Makuma and Chang-min looked out the window. Both of them seemed to know all too well that the weather wouldn't change that fast. Then again maybe it did. Chang-min, having a good knowledge of myths and legends, seemed to believe what he saw with his own two eyes.

"Hodaka," he said slowly. "I'm not sure if this would be the right time to tell you this, but…I strongly believe that you may be, what your people call…an ame-otoko."

Hodaka's mouth dried up faster than the crops in his mental image. He knew what an ame-ototko was. It was exactly as he said it was…but, it was his voice who said.

"You mean…I have the power to bring the rain? Could I even be the cause for all this?"

He held his head as he paced frantically back and forth. How did he even get these powers? Was his father to blame for his unhappiness? Was he going to end up like Hina? A lonely individual to be sacrificed to the gods, spending the rest of eternity in the land of clouds?

"Hina is a hare-onna," Chang-min explained. "And it seemed that fate has brought you two together so that the weather can be balanced for good."

"Balance?" Hodaka never really thought about it. "Even if I wanted to marry her, I just don't feel ready yet."

"That's understandable," said the wise mother that was Makuma. "The more you get to know her, the more she'll reciprocate her feelings."

"No, I mean it," Hodaka was stern. "I don't know how she is going to feel if I tell her this, regardless if she believes me."

"What do you plan to do then?" Makuma asked.

Hodaka's thoughts were someplace else, somewhere he had never even dreamed of going to.

"I'll go to South Korea. Maybe I can put my powers to good use and help the farmers with their crops and vegetables, even if they're not friendly with the Japanese. But I'll do it wisely and not abuse my powers like I did with Hina."

"I was about to suggest that myself, Hodaka. I know of a religious cult that may be willing to help you with your new position. They're very friendly with anyone who has the power to bring their world out of a drought. After all, we are all human beings are we not?"

"We are," said Hodaka. "I'll go with you when school's off, Chang-min, and I won't come back until after the summer holidays are over. By then, I'll have made my mark on the Koreans…and when I hear from Hina that her powers have been restored…then I can marry her."

"So…are you going to go?" Chang-min asked.

Hodaka nodded his head and said aloud. "I'm going to go!" Suddenly he felt wonderful, even in his stomach. He stood up to hug Makuma and he barely noticed the pain in his feet.

Why not put it off a little longer? Especially since the train was most likely going to be delayed due to the storm that he caused. He would miss Tokyo and his classmates, but no matter how many times he helped them with their homework and no matter how many conversations or parties he attended with them, he was starting to get bored with them, and Hina herself said that she wanted to have some time to herself before they could resume their relationship. She could even spend most of it with Aito Hamato for all he cared.

Tokyo could wait until he got back. Hina could wait, too. Lord knows he'd waited for her often enough. Why shouldn't he visit South Korea to see Sun Chang-min's kin and help bring the rain back into their lives? July was only about two months and a day away. And he'd be a weather-man and happy for a while yet before he settled down to Tokyo's rules.


	8. Journey to South Korea

Hodaka thought it best to wait until the summer holidays when he could accompany Sun Chang-min to South Korea. By the time July 20th rolled around, Hina was in her second month of pregnancy, and the bump in her stomach was barely noticeable, so much that Hodaka didn't bother to look. Whenever he saw Hina again, in the classrooms, in the hallways or even in the cafeteria. He would always make small casual conversations with her. He told her a few interesting details about his relatives on both sides of his family, most notably how large-by-numbers his Morishima relatives were, but until it seemed right for him to tell her that he was an ame-otoko, he remained tight-lipped.

He didn't even notice some of the signs that Hina was pregnant because she was doing her best to hide it, trying as much as she could to refrain from the usual pregnancy symptoms like mood swings and cravings, but those mood swings only made things difficult between her and Hodaka. One moment, she would be as happy as always, the next it was the anger and angst of a rebel without a cause.

During the weekends, Hodaka seldom wrote to his parents, unsure of what he could say to them about his newfound powers or Ojiisan Okazaki's inheritance and he soon got to meet Natsumi's baby girl. He told Keisuke ahead of time a week before he left for South Korea, telling him about the religious cult that Chang-min had mentioned back in Numazu and how much of a story it would make if K&A Planning went international. Keisuke saw this as a sequel to his little "weather-girl saga" he had written about three years ago, and if all went well, he would pay Hodaka a month's salary. Hodaka was careful not to tell Suga about his newly-discovered control over the rain until the time was right…that time being his college graduation. He feared that no matter how nice he seemed, Suga would have probably written an article about his most cherished employee having control over the rain…which would have probably led to Hodaka being lynched the Tokyo populace in revenge for losing their homes. He even got to spend some time with Nagi, trying to set him up with a date or two.

Chang-min's phone number had been added to Hodaka's contacts during his extra stay in Numazu. He ordered a taxi cab to take him to the airport where he would meet up with Chang-min, who had already brought his ticket. The color and chaos of Tokyo International Airport was exciting to everyone who came and went to get away from the rain for higher ground. Some planes were even going to China and Russia. Hodaka had already made his passport and was buying a Japanese to Korean translation book from the store while Chang-min bought him, oddly enough, a Big Mac. for lunch.

"I hope you're not expecting to be paid extra for the white hairs you've put on my head," Chang-min said to Hodaka. "Even in this climate, these flights are expensive."

"You've not forgotten my luggage, Chang-min?" he said. "I don't want to see either your's or mine getting on the wrong plane."

"I'll make sure we get our luggage the first thing we land."

After getting some Sakuma Drops for the flight, Chang-min spoke quietly to Hodaka. "You'll not forget what I told you about your Korean name, Hodaka?"

"I won't forget." He smiled, enjoying the harmless conspiracy.

"You'll be Hanghae Seom and no other on this flight and in South Korea," he had told him with a wink. "It's nothing to do with you or yours, Hodaka, but a South Korean name is better than a Japanese one because of our tense relationships."

Hodaka didn't mind at all. He was going to enjoy being in South Korea for as long as he could.

The plane that they were due to leave on was a commuter jet which bore the colors of Air Seoul. Hodaka admired the colors of the plane from the window of the terminal, reminding him of the colors of the rain. He waited for ten minutes before they started boarding and with the spirit of great adventure coursing through the veins of his body, Hodaka walked down the long skybridge behind Chang-min and entered straight into the tube of the airplane. They two had window seats close to the middle of the plane on the right-hand side; Hodaka took the window while Chang-min sat next to him.

A half hour passed, the plane moved ponderously throughout the taxiway, dredging over the wet pavement. When at last it reached the runways, its engines let out a loud whine as it picked up speed, going faster and faster. The passengers sighed as the plane's nose lifted upwards into the gray-green sky and they felt the weight of gravity leaving them from the moment it's landing gear left terra firma.

Hodaka and Chang-min looked out of the open window, watching the city of Tokyo recede quickly behind the fog, then disappear.

_What have I done?_ Hodaka thought, and he grabbed the arm rests in momentary panic. Then he looked ahead at the limitless expanse of grey-colored ocean, and his heart beat faster with the thrill of adventure.

"Oh!" Chang-min cried out. Then, "Oooh," he moaned.

"What's wrong, Chang-min?"

"Oooh. I'd forgot the jetlag," the priest gasped.

Hodaka held back his laughter. His put his arm around Chang-min's neck and rubbed his chest. A little later, the tray in front Chang-min's chair was served with a small coke and a non-meat sandwich. Hodaka and Chang-min did full justice to the miniscule meal that was served. Afterwards, Hodaka took his coke can to his unfortunate travelling companion and spoon-fed him.

"I'll be all right in a day or two," Chang-min promised in a weak voice. "You won't need to be tending me forever."

"Hush up and take another sip," said Hodaka. _Thank heavens I haven't got a puny stomach, _he thought. _Even the food I ate before we took off has digested by now, or I couldn't have enjoyed my lunch so much._

The plane flew out of the clouds and into the sun. Hodaka was the first to notice it, as he hadn't felt the sun in years. Below them was the shoreline of South Korea, and his heart swelled for the place where could finally feel like a hero to everyone who needed rain more than his own country.

Meanwhile, back at the Suga residence, Hina was discussing her troubles over her's and Hodaka's unexpected baby. When she told the others, that being the current residents of the Suga household, it was a mixed bag: Keisuke fainted, Mr. and Mrs. Mamiya looked worried, Nagi and Moka seemed thrilled at having another child in the house, Wasabi was surprised and all Natsumi had to say about it was:

"Here we go again."

To her it was more of a routine, than something of surprise or shock.

"I never dreamed that Hodaka and I would go that far," Hina was saying to Natsumi in the kitchen. "I never even got a chance to tell him because I didn't want him to overreact. I don't even think he's ready to be a father. I'm not ready to be a mother yet and I'm too young to even be one!"

"You could take care of the baby the same way you took care of me," Nagi reassured her.

"Thanks, Nagi, but you're my brother, it's different. Besides, you're too young to be an uncle anyway. What would you know about taking care of children who are a lot younger than you?"

"I could find myself a suitable girlfriend. Maybe she can help."

Hina shook her head. There were somethings about being a responsible figure that Nagi couldn't understand yet. She buried her head into the table, asking no one.

"What am I gonna do?"

One thing was for certain though, Suga, wanting to save on money, suggested that Hina should deliver her baby in his own house. He bought her an inflatable birth pool and some medical tools for Natsumi and his mother, since he handpicked either one of them to be the midwife while Mr. Mamiya would be the _de facto_ obstetrician, with a handbook and an online article on how to deliver babies for research purposes. Just for the sake of something more entertaining to do, he watched the American series _ER_, but there were hardly any episodes, that he saw, that involved any depiction of childbirth. For extra precautions, Mr. Mamiya informed the family doctor about Hina's condition and asked him for a medical alarm device, which he intended to activate when Hina was going into labor. The doctor also told Mr. Mamiya that he would check on Hina every two weeks or so. He also suggested to Mr. Mamiya that Hina, after asking for her age, should take the rest of her semester off in case the baby did not arrive before college break was over (he had dealt with a couple of premature births in his career). Over the next few days, Mr. Mamiya asked his doctor for advice on how he could help in delivering Hina's baby and he listened carefully to every method that was possible.

Hina, meanwhile, was resting in the guest room while Nagi consoled her.

"Are you planning on telling Hodaka anytime soon?"

"Not until I've had the baby, then I can I tell him. And if it doesn't arrive soon, you can tell him that I've fallen victim to the corona virus."

"But that's a fatal disease!"

"So what? They have a cure for it…I assume."

She moaned sadly, her head sinking into the pillow.

"I wonder what he's doing now."

"For all I care," Nagi said, in a rare moment of snobbery. "He could be back on his home island by now."

But Nagi was quite wrong, for Hodaka and Chang-min had just landed at Gimhae International Airport. Hodaka drew in his breath with a tiny squeaking noise. The heat of the sun was shining through the windows of the terminal, letting its heat enter through the air-conditioned machinery of the airport's structure. It was a warmth that he had not felt for three years, but at the same time, he was excited. He could hardly wait to discover what South Korea was like.

When Chang-min escorted him down the gangway he realized that he had entered a completely different world. The airport was busy, like the airport in Tokyo, noisy, crowded, perilous with hurrying carts and laden men loading or unloading suitcases, backpacks and even purses onto other planes. But the men who worked at the airport were all white, and they shouted to one another in a tongue that had no meaning for him.

"It's our language," Chang-min explained, "but you needn't fret, Hodaka-kun. There are plenty of Japanese, Chinese and even English-speaking communities here in South Korea."

As if to prove him wrong, a man spoke to him with an accent so pronounced that Hodaka didn't realize at first that he was speaking Japanese.

Chang-min laughed when he told him. "It's a queer sound, and that's the truth of it," he agreed, "but it's Japanese for sure."

Hodaka giggled. "I thought he was a button salesman." The sergeant's elaborately decorated short, tight uniform jacket was fronted with more than a dozen bars of thick gold braid between pairs or brightly polished brass buttons, it looked like fancy dress to him.

He tucked his hand in Chang-min's elbow. "I'm awfully glad I came," he said. And he was. Everything was so different, so new. No wonder people liked to travel so much.

They got their suitcases from the luggage claim and went to find a taxi that would take them on a half-hour journey to a rural farming area in Busan, where the cult of rain gods were located.

Hodaka didn't understand the Korean money at all. It was called won and jeons were the monetary subunit. It was similar to the yen bank notes back home, but the inflation was numerally different. It was all too confusing. Besides, it didn't really matter, it was all free, from whist winnings. In this country a pair of pants cost eight thousand won and a pair of shoes were one hundred and thirteen won. The socks were considerably cheaper. Hodaka gave his bank notes to Chang-min as soon as they got in the car. "Make me stop before I run out," he said, and he began to think of a way how he was going to convert this money.

"We'll go to the bank tomorrow and you can convert your yen there," Chang-min told him.

The taxicab progressed it's way out of the city. The urban buildings shrunk from skyscrapers to two to three stories tall, with more and more nature visible as Hodaka's field of vision met the countryside. The grass was all but dry of it's once lush greenery and the trees, while bearings tons of green leaves, was looking completely bare and dry from the heated sun. Soon, they came into the district of Geumjeong-gu, which was located in Cheongnyongnopo-dong. It was home to a beautiful country club, the Beomeosa Temple, a mosque and the Geumjeongsan Mountain. With all the green grass that made up this part of the country, thanks to man made efforts of providing water for the flora, Hodaka was enchanted by it all.

_I'd never thought I'd see a place more beautiful than Kozushima._

Hodaka was anxious to know how many members there were that made up the cult.

"Well, there's Moon Dak-ho, one of the monks, his brother Moon Dae-sung, who is married to Kim Bora with their son Tum-sung and then there is See Kyung-sang, the oldest woman of the cult. Their leader is Bi Jun. Roughly translated, his name means 'rain leader'."

"Sounds pretty fitting," chuckled Hodaka.

As the taxicab edged along the sandy road, they came upon another temple, identical to the Beomeosa. It was so big that it made Hodaka wonder where they went to sleep or eat if the main hall took up most of the space where they prayed to their god. When the taxicab stopped just before the front steps, he would find out later, for he could see the occupants of the temple standing just eighteen feet apart from him on the front entrance. Standing in the fully open door was a blue-robed bald monk who was placing two small, three-legged stools atop a table outside the door. To the left of the door there was another monk who was ten years younger than the other. Others were six young boys and girls dressed in traditional attire, accompanied by three women and a pair of teenaged sons. Another interesting figure, standing from the top of the steps, was a woman who appeared to be about a century old. She smiled at the sight of Hodaka, for she did not see him as a Jap, but as a human being, as is expected of a person who puts his or her faith in religion. None of the occupants took a single flinch as he stepped out of the taxi and waved his right hand.

"Hello, everybody."

Everyone just stared at Hodaka like he was some kind of prized statue made of marble. And it seemed to Hodaka that there weren't convinced but seemed grateful to have an innocent soul in their prescience. Or perhaps they were waiting patiently for him to carry out his miracle. Before Chang-min could properly introduce the boy, Hodaka was quick to go onto full prayer mode and the clouds began to darken, overcast at first, then stormy with a layer of grey clouds blocking out most of the sun's heat and light.

The rain followed by a three second crash of thunder, the first drop was harmless, then suddenly, it turned into a breezy shower. Hodaka inhaled the familiar sent of rain, blinking his eyes to adjust the sudden darkness.

The old woman, whom Hodaka later confirmed was See Kyung-sang, had skin that was darkened by nearly a century of open air and sun and rain. Her face was round, like an apple, and withered, like an apple kept too long. But the faded blue eyes were unclouded and penetrating. A thick silk sash of bright blue lay across her shoulders, across her breast, the fringed ends in her lap. Her thin white hair was covered by a traditional blue gat.

Hodaka, now wet from head to toe in his own rainwater, walked up the steps into the front shelter, as did the others.

See Kyung-sang lifted her bony fingers against Hodaka's cheeks. Her smile went wider.

"The rain man had come at last! And I've lived to see day when the rain would come again!"

Her voice was thin and cantankerous, but not cracked or weak. Relief and a kind of wonder filled Hodaka's being. This woman was very kind and welcoming, something he hadn't seen much in his own grandparents.

"You must See Kyung-sang," said Hodaka, feeling like he had found a grandmother figure in her. "I'm Hodaka Morishima, or Hanghae Seom, whatever you want to call me."

"It doesn't matter what you are named," said the woman who introduced herself as Kim Bora. "As long as you are welcomed and comfortable in this sanctuary for the true believers, you can be addressed however you want. We are all the children of the gods, aren't we?"

Hodaka nodded. "I guess I won't have to use it much, will I?"

Bi Jun smiled proudly at the rain which restored the green flora to the countryside's natural beauty and bowed to Hodaka.

"Young Hodaka Morishima, you honor my temple and I bid you welcome. Your solution to put an end to this draught will be a warm stone on my heart for fifty years and more."

Hodaka's smile was as warm as the hug he gave to Kyung-sang. He had a found a new family to love.


	9. Sora the Birthday Baby

All throughout the rest of July and on into the end of August, Hodaka got accustomed to living with the Bisin cult, which, roughly translated meant "rain god". It was also the honorable title given to him by Bi Jun himself for obvious reasons. Remembering his own experience with Hina and the over exhaustion that led to her powers going out of control (such as the early winter that reflected Hina's pain), he decided to provide his rain services every Wednesday until he had to go back to college. This notice was spread onto online articles throughout the district, but the weather channels and television stations in the urban areas remained true to their astronomical guesses until Hodaka's powers proved otherwise.

Farmers and villagers who believed the cult went into the city to buy umbrellas and raincoats to prepare for next few Wednesdays and several of them were granted audience to the Bisin temple where they could ask Hodaka for requests. But of course, Hodaka was not willing to sacrifice himself, let alone find himself in the same boat as Hina three years ago, and he turned down every request no matter how many times the farmers pleaded.

"Wednesday's child is full of woe," Hodaka would always say. "So it only seems fitting that I could summon the rains on that day."

Not everyone in the district was happy with the new seasons of rain. On the last Wednesday of July, a school bus nearly drove off the road due to the slippery road and the roads that weren't paved over caused cars and wagons to be stuck in mud. Others got sick with colds and some social events were cancelled due to the rain.

Hodaka didn't mind all of this. It was all a part of life taking it's natural course. From his throne, dressed in the traditional robes we wore on Ojiisan Okazaki's birthday party, he felt like a god, like a Buddha, like Emperor Puyi, like Emperor Sunjong, and like Emperor Hirohito all rolled into one. Yet he couldn't help but feel sorry for all those people who suffered because of his rain. Suffering was always around him, or at least it was outside. Inside, he was very friendly every other member of the cult.

Bi Jun was like a second grandfather to him, much more open-minded and congenial compared to Ojiisan Okazaki, as were See Kyung-sang, Kim Bora, her husband Moon Dae-sung, who acted like second parents to him (or third counting one Keisuke Suga). Tum-sung and the other children, Chin-sun, Chul-moo, Wan-bo, Sun-bo and Kojo-hee, were more than enough siblings that he needed compared to Nagi but he still loved their charm and innocence. The two teenagers, Kae Gun-seok and Lee Eun-hoon were practically brothers, to themselves, the other children and Hodaka. Chang-min visited him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the days in which he was the least busy with his practices at the church as well as weekends.

The men and women of the Bisun told him stories about other times when it rained—reminiscences from older ones, events told them by their parents or grandparents repeated by younger ones. He could see generous faces in so many of the faces around the throne, hear a loving voice in their voices. _It's like a previous incarnation of me was here himself,_ he thought; _I can see how life must have been when the other me was here._

He didn't spend most of his time indoors however, sometimes helped the villagers tend to the crops with buckets of water, knowing very well not use his abilities on something so trivial. At other times, he helped to tend to the needs of the other members of the Bisun with their problems, like mathematical equations for Sun-bo and Chin-sun. The district itself was so small and rural that everybody knew everybody, and knew everybody's business. But smaller, closer, more comfortable somehow. What he was hearing and sensing, without recognizing it, was that the tiny world he was seeing was kinder than any he had ever known. He knew only that he was enjoying being in it very much. Korea had it's ups and downs to the Japanese, but aside from its cities and docks, the rural countryside was what he needed at this time. Best of all, it was different compared to home.

_This is the best vacation a person could possibly have. I'll have so much to tell Hina. Maybe we'll come back together sometime; she'd love to go on a vacation with me. Of course we couldn't live like this, it's too… too… peasanty. But it's so quaint and charming and fun. Tomorrow I'm going to wear my street clothes when I go out. July will soon be over and I could use a break from the dress code._

On the last day of July, he found an old Chinese man that became aware of his supernatural abilities. Hodaka found him in the dining room while paying a social call to the farmer family of Gwan. The man was hawk-faced and he wore a black suit, which made Hodaka presume that he was hot under the sun. The man looked fearless, with greying black hair, a strong, proud face and eyes that were somewhere in between black and blue.

"My uncle told me a great deal about your actions, Hodaka Morishima."

Hodaka's feelings were beyond words…for a moment or two before he found his voice.

"Does he live here?"

"He does. My name is Fang-Lin. I come from a high standing position in the government of Hong Kong."

"You're Chinese?"

"On my father's side, actually. My mother is Korean, and her brother is my uncle."

"Should I tell him you've come?"

Fang-Lin chuckled.

"Listen to yourself, are you a demigod or a man?"

"I prefer to go by human being thank you," Hodaka said in a stiff upper lip.

"My apologies," Fang-Lin bowed respectfully. "Perhaps, a handsome young jewel such as yourself should be introduced to higher society. That should get them to believe in miracles."

"Maybe next year when I'm off," Hodaka said. "Even 'demigods' like myself need to study. After all, I am only a freshman."

When Fang-Lin's nephew, Gwan Soon, entered, the two men flinched. But without so much as a goodbye, Fang-Lin turned on his heels and walked away.

"I'm not certain if you should be talking with him, Hodaka. He is the wickedest man in all of Hong Kong. Perhaps even a lot more than Mao Zedong himself."

"How come you two don't get along?"

"For the same reasons as your country and mine. It all comes to politics."

This comment was an enigma that Hodaka found hard to decipher.

When he got home, it was quiet. The members of the Bisin were sitting respectfully at each seat of the table, focusing on their dinner as Hodaka told everyone about his day. He sat at the front end of the table while Bi Jun sat at the end. The males and females took opposite ends.

"And the way his farm looks now, with all the green grass and vegetables growing around it reminds me of the time I went to the park with Hina, Nagi, Suga and his daughter Moka. The grass there looked very green under the sun. I also met this Chinese guy Fang-Lin who was Mr. Soon's nephew, and I know how some of you feel about the Chinese, I've seen some pictures of the Forbidden City in a book at school, and they sure know how to build palaces."

No one, it seemed, had anything interesting to say.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"We already know from Mr. Soon that you have been consulting with his nephew," said Kyung-sang. "And there's nothing that the whole district doesn't know about by the fall of dark."

"Best you keep that in mind for future reference," scolded Dae-sung.

Hodaka heaved his shoulders, not once did his eyes switch between his noodles or his fellow members. He kept two sharp eyes at them, making sure their attention on him was cognizant.

"I am very fond of you and I have the greatest respect for everyone in your cult. But I find it to be an objection when I have to follow a rule of people who I can talk to and who I can't."

"Even we have our standards, Hodaka," Bi Jun said before filling his mouth with a noodle string. "You have nothing to do with our personal troubles, but we also have our morals as to who we see as bad or good."

"I think it should be his decision to make and not ours," Bora told the leader.

"Would you please stop talking about me as if I was somewhere else?!" Hodaka could not believe he was seeing another side to them.

"But you're not somewhere else," said Kyung-sang in a sweet voice. "You are here and that is the point of it."

But Hodaka couldn't help make himself look outspoken.

"If it has anything to do with politics or rules, I mostly know more about the latter. I've been through a strict household in the first sixteen years of my life and I can see what it can do. My own father wasn't afraid to hit me…because I wasn't perfect. Because I wasn't what society expected me to be! Because I was some kind of clumsy clod who didn't know his place, but I knew better than them! I had my share of abuse and I could stand it no more! So I ran away to Tokyo…and that's where I met Hina."

Every word about his father increased the anger in Hodaka's adrenaline, remembering the harsh beatings he suffered, the relentless conditioning of his future status as a man of the house, the pain of becoming a Taishō era soldier.

"I'm sure you know by now that Hina was a sunshine girl," Hodaka went on. "Not that you ever want her since all you want is rain."

Hearing about Hina's position seemed to attract Bi Jun's attention.

"Perhaps, a young woman who can bring the sunshine and a boy such as yourself who can bring the rain, should be allowed to have a relationship. Once which will keep the weather in balance."

Hodaka thought about this, even when he went to bed. If what Bi Jun said was true and Hina's powers were restored, maybe they could bring the weather back into it's proper balance. After all, love conquers everything, but the question was: could it really work? Maybe once he went back to Tokyo, he would ask Hina, regardless of how she would react to his new powers.

* * *

Back in Tokyo, on the first day of August, Aito popped in to Hina's apartment, with a bouquet of wisterias, asking her for a date.

"Where would you like to go?" Hina asked him.

"How about a walk through Ueno Onshi Park? My parents always go on walks for the sake of exercise."

And so, they did. The sky was overcast, the mood was gloomy and Hina was longing for her powers to be reinstated to full capacity, then the day would be even livelier.

"I know how you and Hodaka have been avoiding each other these past couple of days," Aito was saying. "What do you think could be the matter with him?"

"I don't know," Hina sighed. "We have spoken at least a few times before he decided to leave. But the reason I've been harsh on him is because…well, I'm pregnant."

Aito tried to hold back his laughter.

"You're joking."

"No, I mean it, I have been carrying Hodaka's child with me for almost four months now. I think it happened when we made out in the cave."

"Now Hodaka, I understand, but you didn't bother to tell me and the others?"

"If I did, one of you would have told Hodaka. Hodaka and I have been on a considerable on and off relationship for some time now. After what he did to save me from being sacrificed, I feel like his concept of the truth is severely lackadaisical, but on another hand, maybe he did the right thing to save me. Nagi would have been left all alone if he didn't."

She paused before looking at Aito with loving eyes.

"Not that I want to break Hodaka's feelings but, I am starting to find you to be a refreshing change."

"You do?"

"You bet."

"But still, don't you think you might be a little harsh with Hodaka?"

"Hodaka hasn't always exactly played by the rules, but his heart's in the right place…and I think mine is."

And they continued walking under the light drizzle, letting the water clear out their heads.

* * *

They decided to have dinner out, at the McDonalds where Hina once worked at as a part time cook and server.

"You know, Hodaka and I first met here," said Hina once they found an adequate table that was close to the window.

"What did you serve him?"

"A Big Mac. He looked so hungry I thought he needed something more nourishing."

"Well, there are plenty of Subways in the city. You could have tried applying for them. My mother tells me that places like Subway's and Blimpie's are a lot healthier than McDonalds."

"I've tried applying for there when I was fifteen. But McDonalds was so popular my brother liked eating there when my parents were still alive that I just had to work there."

At that time, their meal came. Aito ordered a Big Mac, while Hina brough chicken nuggets. She was doing her best to keep cravings at bay, and her mind was wagging it's mental finger over and over, telling her that she shouldn't eat too much.

"You know, I've been thinking," Aito paused for a few seconds. "About what you said about Hodaka saving you. Sometimes love can blind us from what really matters in life. If he hadn't saved you, none of this would have happened, and the weather would have probably been restored to normal. But then, since he has, I never would have met you."

Hina's eyebrows shot up.

"Are you trying to hit on me?

Aito's reply was a non-verbal "yes".

* * *

During the first week of August, Hodaka was busier in helping the other members of the Bisin with their chores, and, in some ways, happier than he had ever been. He felt stronger physically than he could remember ever feeling. Freed from the constriction of his parent's and the metal cage of conditioning on being a proper young man, he could move more quickly and breathe deeply for the first time in many years.

Chang-min was eager to take him out to a party that night in the city and introduce him to some of his friends.

"Are they nice?" Hodaka asked.

"As can be expected of any church," Chang-min replied.

They called an Uber to get there and they drove out of the countryside into the direction of the setting sun. With the sky growing darker and the speed of the car growing slower, it seemed that they would reach the city by midnight before the car sped up again.

It was almost ten miles to Busan—not far, Hodaka thought after a half-hour. But the road twisted and turned and veered off from time to time, in directions away from the one they wanted, only to twist and turn some more until finally they were going again where they wanted to go. Hodaka agreed enthusiastically when Chang-min suggested they stop at a bar for a drink. Back in the trap they went a short way to a crossroads, then turned onto a wider, straighter road. They travelled further and further until the lights of the city were seen up ahead and the urban buildings surrounded them on both flanks.

"That place looked deserted," he said when they slowed again. "Why is that, Chang-min?"

"No one will live in all of the farms; some of them have a bad history."

"What a waste. That one on the left looked right handsome."

"Have you ever been a party or a celebration, Hodaka?"

"Only once to a real one, a fireworks festival in Tokyo, but at home on Kozushima we had social parties and gatherings all the time with the other families in my neighborhood, and they were boring because they were always the same narrow-minded people with the same senseless chatter. Otousan and Okasan were so polite compared to me. I was a real rebel. He couldn't bear seeing me speak my mind out like I was some kind of modern man."

"And why not?"

Hodaka laughed. Chang-min was so like his father on his best days sometimes.

The night lights of Busan's metropolitan area were so colorful with vibrant blues, purples and yellows, that Hodaka felt like he had died and gone back to the 1980s. Yet when they got further into the city, the colors become more diverse, right down to reds and greens. The Haeundae Oktop Bar was four stories high. Workmen were just completing installation of a new neon light. The drinks and food served there were a strong variety of traditional and international foods. Chang-min parked the car to a tree some distance from the track, and they worked their way into the crowd.

Everyone was in high spirits, and everyone knew Chang-min; they all wanted to meet Hodaka, "the young rain god who brought their country out from the dreadful draught."

"I feel like the belle of the ball," she whispered to Chang-min.

"And who better for the position?" He led the way, with many stops, to the open topped roof where restaurateurs dined and socialized.

"But Chang-min, this view is magnificent. What makes you think that this city is so beautiful?"

He explained that the city's beauty had advanced with it's technology, or perhaps that the Koreans were just as smart as the Japanese in the specific field.

"Just like sakes, I suppose," said Shuji Morishima's son. He'd heard both claims all his life. The televisions screen were displaying sporting events from both sides of Korea, even horse races. And on the fifteenth, there would be National Liberation Day. Truly, no one could wish for a better vacation.

A sort of undercurrent rumble ran through the talking, laughing, shouting crowd. "Fight! Fight!" Chang-min climbed up on the rail to see. A big grin spread across his face, and his fisted right hand smacked into his cupped left palm.

"Will you be wanting to place a small wager, then, Chang-min?" invited the man next to him on the rail.

"That I will. Five hundred won on the rain god."

Hodaka nearly toppled Chang-min when he grabbed his ankle. "What's happening?"

The crowd was flowing away from the oval toward the disturbance. Chang-min jumped down, took Hodaka by the wrist, and ran.

Three or four dozen men, young and old, were grunting and yelling in a melee of fists and boots and elbows. The crowd made a broad uneven circle around them on the third floor, shouting encouragement. Two piles of coats and jackets to one side were testimony to the sudden eruption of the fight; many of the coats had been stripped off so quickly that their sleeves were inside out. Within the ring, shirts were getting red with spilled blood, from the shirt's owner or the man he was hitting. There was no pattern, no order. Each man hit whoever was closest to him, then looked around for his next target. Anyone knocked down was pulled up roughly by the person nearest him and shoved back into the fray.

Hodaka had seen men fighting with their fists before, his father no withstanding. The sounds of blows landing and the spurting blood from mouths and noses made him cringe. Four of the fighters were no more than kids, and he begged Chang-min to make them stop.

"And lose my five hundred won? Don't be daft, young sir."

"You're awful, Sun Chang-min, just awful."

He repeated the words later, to Chang-min and to Mak-min and Jae-min, two of Chang-min's brothers he hadn't met before. They were all in the kitchen at the Bisin temple. Kyung-sung and Bora were calmly washing the wounds, ignoring the yelps of pain and accusations of rough handling. Chang-min was passing around glasses of whiskey.

_I don't think it's funny at all, no matter what they claim,_ Hodaka said to himself. He couldn't believe that faction fights were part of the fun of bars and public events for the Sun families and their friends. "Just high spirits," indeed! And the girls were worse, if anything, the way they were tormenting one of them because he had nothing worse than a black eye.

After the next Wednesday he made it rain, Hodaka thought about Hina. It would be her birthday soon and even with the money he had, he wasn't sure if he would make it in time for the party. At the very least, he would go out into the city and buy a present for her. If not, somewhere close by. But then, of course, there were the matters of chores around the temple, socializing with the farmers, and other tasks like groceries.

_Why am I so skittish? _Hodaka wondered. There couldn't be all that much to do for one girl's birthday. A cake, of course, but what else was there? He'd already decided to give Hina the lovely pearl necklace he saw on a window at a small shop in the village. There'd be plenty of time to buy it on the way home, even if it was expensive. Good heavens, the 22nd was a week from now!

Hina would still be there, too. Let her wait. He'd waited for her long enough in Numazu, but things were different now.

As for Nagi and Suga, he'd do something very generous for them, for Suga anyhow, he deserved it. There was lots of good land and mystery just going begging to be explored in this country. He could set up a new office in Busan, Hina would come and live with him, they could use their powers to bring balance to the global weather, and they would live happily ever after.

But for Hina, it would be a lonely birthday without Hodaka.

* * *

The 22nd of the month arrived in due time. It was the 34th Thursday of the year and the rain that was coupled to Hodaka's powers from Korea made it's way into Tokyo, offering stronger storms and heavier showers. As she prepared for her party, coming her hair six times over in front of a mirror in the guest room, Hina spoke sadly to Nagi.

"I should have told him about the baby. I'll never forgive myself."

"No need to fret, Onēsan. Should-haves solve nothing. It's the next thing to happen that needs thinking about."

"He'll never take me back. Not if his heart's so hard that he'd go away. I kept waiting for him to come after me, Nagi, I was so sure he would. How could I have been such a fool? How can I have a baby when I don't have a husband?"

"Well you do have that other guy, Aito."

"Well, Aito's very sweet, but Hodaka is the father of my child and no doubt about it."

"Well, there's always birthday wishes. Maybe you can wish for Hodaka to come back."

"That's as tantamount as wishing for Okasan and Otousan back."

"At least this one may come true. All it takes is a little time."

Reassured, Hina brushed her hair three more times before heading down to her birthday dinner.

It was 8:00 PM around this time and the air outside had quite a chill, but in spite of the darkness that blackened the night sky completely, it was nice and warm in the kitchen when Hina came down. Suga, and his family greeted Hina with a chorus of "Happy Birthday to You", surrounding an ice blue frosted cake with 18 burning candles, sitting on the direct center of the table. Moka and Ame Asuka were wearing party hats and party favors were held by Wadashi and Natsumi.

"Make a wish," Nagi encouraged her.

Hina lowered her mouth before the candles and closed her eyes, letting out a soft breath.

_I wish that my powers were fully restored and Hodaka would come back soon._

She blew out the candles. Then there was a roar of thunder that echoed outside. All of this was followed by a sharp pain in her stomach.

Her back was in total pain. She put her hands over the pain. Then a new pain ripped through her side and down her leg, shoving the back pain into insignificance. She grabbed the side of the table for support and stared dumbly at the liquid streaming down her legs and across her bare feet to pool on the scrubbed wooden floor.

"The water broke," she said at last, "and it's clear." She looked at the window and the heavy rain outside. "Sorry, Suga-san, but I'm about to have the baby."

Everyone stared at Hina in shock. It was four months early for the expected arrival. Then Suga turned to his father-in-law.

"Call the doctor!"

Quickly, Mr. Mamiya activated the medical alarm device and its red light blinked on and off. Then everyone else looked out at the storm from the safety of their windows, knowing that any chance of the doctor coming would be an exercise in futility.

"I'm afraid the doctor's too far off," said Mrs. Mamiya after a minute had passed. "Right now, we should get you into the birthing pool."

"Good idea," muttered Hina as Nagi and Natsumi helped her upstairs into the guest room.

The ripping pain was not repeated. With cushions under her head and the small of her back, Hina was quite comfortable. She wished she had something to drink, but she decided she'd better not get up from the pool. If the pain came back she might fall and hurt herself.

_Why aren't you here?… No, I mustn't think about Hodaka, I'll go crazy if I do._

_Why doesn't it stop raining? Pouring, more like it. Wind's rising, too. This is an honest to goodness storm. Fine time I picked to have a baby, to have my water break… but on my birthday? I wish my powers were back soon, then I can make it sunny again. This night is too special._

Hina was barely concentrating her eyes on anywhere else but the ceiling, ignoring Natsumi and Nagi's attempts to keep her breathing under control. Suga had already put Ame to bed and he joined Wadashi and his wife's parents in the guest room, doing whatever they could to deliver the baby. Natsumi left Nagi to console his sister while she began her duties as the midwife.

"Help me," Natsumi ordered Mrs. Amiya. "I'll show you how to hold her legs."

Hina screamed when Natsumi's hand thrust into her womb. "Stop! Jesus, the pain, make it stop." When the examination was over she was moaning from the hurt. Blood covered the pool and her thighs, was spattered on Natsumi's shirt and her right arm was red halfway to the elbow.

"I'll have to try it with both hands," she said.

Hina groaned. Mrs. Mamiya stepped in front of her husband, asking for an alternative.

"Get me a knife!" he ordered. "I'm going to give her a C-section. I saw them do it when you gave birth to Asuka."

Mrs. Mamiya rushed downstairs to get one.

The room was lit suddenly by a flash of brilliance through skylight and windows, and a heavier torrent of rain slashed against the glass. Wadashi brought in a flashlight from the cabinet and shone it under Hina's rear end, providing Natsumi with an additional light against the cold-lit bed lights of the guest room.

Suga's face glistened with sweat as he crossed himself, praying for a miracle.

"Keep pushing!" Nagi yelled and Hina tried harder. Her groan was dramatically operatic.

Then Natsumi cried out.

"I can see it coming!"

Hina pushed harder. Before the sound of her groan was gone, Natsumi was holding a blood-covered baby in her two hands. The baby's arms jerked, then its legs.

Smiling, Suga whispered the Hail Mary.

Mrs. Mamiya came in with the knife she was looking for and with a whisk of the knife, she cut the cord, the baby was laid on the folded sheets and Natsumi was back beside Hina. "Hold the lights closer," she said.

Her hands and fingers moved quickly, sometimes with a flash of the knife, and bloody bits of membrane fell to the floor beside her feet. She poured more dark fluid between Hina's lips, then a colorless one into the horrible wound in her belly. Her cracked humming accompanied the small precise movements as she sewed the wound together.

"Wrap her in some blankets while I wash the baby," she said. Nagi sighed in relief as he sat down on his behind and rested his hands, blowing into them to restore their un-flattened state.

When Suga and Mrs. Mamiya were finished, Natsumi returned with Hina's baby swaddled in a soft white blanket. "Sorry that I forgot this," Natsumi said. Her chuckle brought an answering throaty sound from the baby, and the infant boy opened his eyes. The blue irises looked like pale tinted rings around the black, unfocused pupils. He had long black lashes and two tiny lines for eyebrows. He was a little red and a little mishappen since he had passed through the birth canal. But he still made a recognizably adorable baby just the same. His tiny nose and ears and mouth and soft pulsing skull were perfect. His olive skin was very dark against the white blanket.

Hina thought about the name. It seemed to her that was the happiest moment of her life since Hodaka prevented her sacrifice. Then she thought about the bright blue sky and how its color was reflected into the irises of her newborn son.

"His name will be Sora."


	10. No Parental Responsibilities Needed

The story of Hina's baby got to the student facility of Tokyo University within a week via Nagi, having told his own classmates, whose brothers, sisters and cousins were also attending the college. Gossip and speculation spread regarding the mystery of who Sora's father was. Some even believed it to be Aito Hamato himself, but he turned those rumors down, telling even his own parents.

"I never even got down with her."

Hina considered throwing a party to celebrate Sora's birth, but Natsumi, being the immovable mountain of her way out of the guest room was against it.

"We already celebrated your birthday so it also counts for Sora in some way."

Still, she and the others celebrated Sora's birth over a few cups of sakes. Suga had to comment that this was the best drink he ever had in his entire life, but the drink seemed to taste sour in his head as he came to the realization that he and his family now had two babies to care for.

* * *

Back at the temple, Hodaka was counting off the days he had left before returning to Tokyo, but after all the services he had bringing the rain to the farmers after a long drought, another half of his mind was telling him to stay….

But there was no reason to put it off. He had to go to Tokyo. If he left soon after Labor Day, he would be written off as tardy, and most likely be put on suspension for another semester. Not that he wondered if the rules were that strict, but if that opportunity came, he would continue to use his powers once a week. Then again, anything was better than almost ending up like Hina.

Hodaka made up his mind on the day he saw the delicate haze of green on the meadow. The countryside had been returned to a healthy state, thanks to his newfound powers. The vegetables and fruits in the farms were looking good enough to eat and the trees and plants in the mountains shone a bright green.

Hodaka squinted up at the sun, saw the clouds racing towards it, knew that soon it would rain, and soon after that it would clear again, and the sun would warm the fields until the next rain, followed by the next warming sunlight.

_I'll feel the baking heat of Korea sun one more time,_ he decided, _I'm entitled to that. I miss it sometimes so terribly. But, somehow, Tokyo and Kozushima's more like a dream than a memory. It belongs in the past, like the Hodaka I used to be. That life and that person don't have anything to do with me anymore. I've made my choice. Korea will be my home away from home. I'm the Rain God of Busan. I'll keep my shares of Korea for Hina when I see her again, but when I graduate, I'll go back to Okasan and Otousan, ask them for their blessing, marry Hina and cut those ties for good. Korea's my home now. I feel like I have found a purpose…just as Hina did._

His mind touched briefly on the business he had to deal with. All that could wait. What he must concentrate on was the best way to tell Hina and Nagi about his wonderful new home. They wouldn't believe he wanted them—why should they? In truth she never had the chance to tell them. Korea, at first, seemed like a good summer vacation.

* * *

September 1st was considered the beginning of another school year in Japan, and Hodaka took the next flight out from the airport to Tokyo. Chang-min and the other members of the Bisin cult bid him goodbye and he rushed down the airbridge without looking back. There were very few passengers on the plane due to the obviously flooded nature of Tokyo, so Hodaka had two seats to himself. As the plane took off, flying back into the cloudy gloomy territory of a flooded city, Hodaka did look back: at the gorgeous sunny scenery that was South Korea, looking even more beautiful than it was when he first arrived.

He was the Rain God, so there was no argument. Hodaka felt elated, confident that he had given more justice to a rival country than anyone had ever given him.

He rested his head in the second seat. Mostly he planned. He had a lot to do. He had to find a way of making himself know to Hina again and this time, actually propose to marry her…

He would either sell the apartment or move into a house where he and Hina could have all the children they wanted. Hodaka also thought his parents, wondering if they'd be willing to move in with him, but since he knew why his father wanted to move to Kozushima, it was best that he'd let his parents make their own choice, even if he asked nicely.

What about the houses that weren't affected by the flood? He and Hina would definitely have to move to higher ground if her powers did not return any sooner…

He had to make sure Hina was all right. And Nagi. And Suga and his family as well.

Then, when he was done with college, he would go to Kozushima. That must be last. Because once his mother and father learned from him that he and Hina were going to be married, they'd be anxious to get going or express moments of doubt. It wouldn't be fair to keep their son dangling on the threshold between married and bachelor forever. And saying goodbye to Kozushima would be the hardest thing he had to do. Best to do it quickly; it wouldn't hurt so much then. Besides, he was no longer feeling any emotional connection to it…was he?

The long slow flight over the Sea of Japan seemed to go on forever. The plane had to fly through scattered clouds in order to avoid wind pockets which would lead to extreme turbulence. Hodaka walked restlessly from one side of the plane to the other with his arms crossed, trying to enjoy the flight as long as it lasted. They were so close now, why couldn't they get there? He wanted to see Japan, hear Japanese voices.

At last. There was the city. And the airport. "I'm home."

Hodaka's apartment was just as it had been, nothing had changed. The classmates were the same. The affection. The swarms of students. Sally was still her usual self, Emmaline had found a new boyfriend named Haniki Bokowa, and Maki and Ekano were thinking of taking a new class to advance ahead of their peers.

He sent a text message to his parents, simply telling them that he was starting school again and that he was going to spend the Christmas holidays with the Sugas. Then he returned to his apartment and settled in for the night. He was both excited and nervous. He'd been gone so long—anything might have happened. He wouldn't fret about it now, he'd find out soon enough. In the meantime he'd simply enjoy the cold Tokyo rain and the pleasure of being back in his natural habitat. It was like he travelled to so many worlds that he didn't know where his heart was either.

The city's water level hadn't even risen up by an inch. But that was all right. Hodaka was positive that Hina would get her powers back soon and maybe, if she played her cards right, the water would dry up and all would be forgiven by the invisible gods who would otherwise punish them.

The next morning, he got up and took a quick shower, not even bothering to scrub his hair or brush his teeth. He had a class to get to. When he got there, Yukino-sama was back to teaching her literary class and the normal agriculture teacher, Mr. Haraka, was taking her place. Haraka got along well with Hodaka, and he was even impressed by his scores from the past semester.

Ekano was waiting for him in the cafeteria, drinking a cup of apple juice out of a straw. Hodaka looked at his care-worn face and grinned from ear to ear.

"Has anything else happened while I was away?"

"Quite much," Ekano said quietly. "But I'd rather focus on our studies than talk about social things."

"Do you need to help me with your homework?"

"Just a little. I think I've figured out most of the math answers by myself."

"Do you know where Hina is?"

Ekano shifted the straw in his mouth. "The last I checked; she was in the literature classroom. But I'm sure you'll see her again after lunch. Also, they're holding a water boat race soon with some of the students driving. Maybe you should sign up."

"That depends, is it too late for me?"

"Not unless someone drops out."

* * *

Ekano had described a water boat race through the city to Hodaka, but he wasn't prepared for the first impact of it. It was to start at the docks and end at one of the lower districts of the city. All of the motor boats that would participate in the event were rentals, which would be sold back to their owners as soon as it was over. The prize for the race was money, exactly five million yen needed to build a new home on higher ground. Hodaka and the other students went to the docks after school to watch. Drinks and snacks were being served under a tent on a white-clothed table and some notables of the city were there, including the police inspector Takai, who was acting as head of security for the race. Hodaka took one glance at this man before directing his eyes off of him and toward the pier, not wishing for another reunion as his own personal feelings towards the man had not yet completely subsided.

There were other canvas covered stalls selling shirts, watches and glasses as souvenirs, sheltered from the drizzling rain. Hodaka elbowed his way from one place to another, looked over one boat after another. "Is it not too late for me to participate?" he said to the first racer he saw.

"Not at all," said the skipper. "My partner got sick with the flu and I could use a mate to help me man the boat."

The boat had a red hull with a top, bearing the number "8" on the stern.

"So do you have any experience in boating?"

"Plenty," Hodaka smiled. "My parents often took me boating and my father taught me how to steer."

He gulped under his breath, hoping that his stunt would not end as badly as the time he and Hina caught themselves caught in a storm because of his yet-untapped powers.

Speaking of Hina, he didn't see her at school, but he did see her on the pier…or so he thought.

_That's her back. Isn't it? It is, I'm sure it is. If only she'd say something else, turn her head. It can't be Hina. I'm don't even know if she has a reason to be at this race. But I couldn't be wrong about those ponytails._

After giving his name and age to the skipper, he walked over to the other side of the pier. It was Hina. His knuckles were white against his hands, so tightly was he holding on to the post. He was trembling.

Hina was there alone. Hodaka called out to her. "Hina!"

Hina spun around. An expression he couldn't recognize flickered on her face, and her eyes seemed very bright beneath the shading bill of the overcast sky. Then she smiled the innocent smile he knew so well. "I never thought I would see you again after not telling me you were leaving, Hodaka," she said.

"Hello, Hina," he said, "Sorry I didn't tell you soon, but how are you?" He knew it was a foolish, inadequate thing to say, but he had to say something.

Hina's mouth twitched. "I'm remarkably well after summer break," she drawled, "or was I mistaken? I thought I glimpsed you in the hall back at the university."

"Well, yeah, but I guess I didn't see you. As for my vacation—"

"Don't try to explain, Hodaka. It's not your forte."

"What are you talking about?" Was she being mean? _Please don't be mean, Hina._

"It's not important. What brings you to the race? Have you come to watch me participate?"

"es, for the same reason as everybody else. As for you participating…" She bit her lip. "Please don't make it a disaster like what happened last time with us."

"Relax, Hina. We're only going from the docks to the lower district."

"So I see, Hodaka, I'd like to tell you something."

Before she could spill the beans, the skipper grabbed Hodaka by the back of his collar.

"Come along, Morishima-san. Time to get you into your uniform."

He escorted Hodaka into a tent before Hina had a chance to cry out.

The uniform that the shipper had spoken of was quite appropriate for a race. It was a white suit with a blood red helmet. Hodaka came out of the tent looking like a real racer, admiring his black gloves and red and white streaked shoes.

"Looks like I'm ready."

But before it could be done, Hodaka was presented before the judges, where he was carefully measured and weighted under quick seconds. The race would begin at any time.

"Seems in order," one of them said. "He may participate."

"Ride along easy, well back, and watch what the others do," the skipper had said. Hodaka began as he advised. He felt his palms sweating inside his gloves. Up ahead the other boats were revving up their engines, then beside him a female racer laughed and kissed her beau, his right foot accidentally pushing down on the engine. Hodaka looked briefly at the panorama of grey and blue water that lay ahead of him.

A male announcer shouted the countdown.

"3! 2! 1! GO!"

The specters of his parents and Hina's cold attitude that had plagued him were gone. Him fear was gone. There was only the excitement of the misty air streaking past his skin and the power of the boat that he controlled.

All throughout the race, the champions took a crescent route around the docks before heading into the lower districts of the flooded metropolis; up, down, left, right, sharp turns around the half-submerged traffic lights, through the underwater elevated tracks and jumps along some old ramps. They kept going fast, with news helicopters and drones chasing after them, trying to figure out who was in the lead.

Hodaka took the tiller and bent over to wipe at the dampness on his trousers. There was no point to it; his helmet was already spattered with flecks of water from the wild cross-city chase. But it gave him a chance to collect his thoughts and to hide his face for a moment under the helmet.

_I wonder what was so important that Hina had to tell me? Did something happen while I was away?_

And no sooner did he think about Hina when, due to a sharp turn, he found his very essence being flung overboard and into the water, his body making a hard splash into the cold Pacific.

* * *

When Hodaka came to, he was in his apartment bed. His vision was blurry when it was restored, he saw none other than Aito Hamato standing above him.

"I'm glad you're awake Hodaka."

Hodaka quickly became of aware of his surroundings. He stood up from his bed, being the first to ask.

"What happened? Did my skipper win the race?"

"He did. He plans on sharing some of the reward money with you."

"Where's Hina?"

"She's downstairs. I'm supposed to fetch her for you when you awake. The doctor said you weren't seriously hurt. But you were knocked out cold."

"Well my forehead does feel cold. I haven't fallen from a boat since the day I went sailing with Hina and when I was ten years old. That's when Otousan got strict."

"Well, anyway," said Aito, adjusting his seat a little. "It's nice to see you again. How was your vacation?"

"Bizarre. It was just a business trip to South Korea, nothing more."

"Nothing more?"

"It's personal."

Aito looked back at the room, then to Hodaka.

"You know, in case Hina was too busy downstairs," he paused trying to find the right words. "I should be the one to tell you about the baby."

Hodaka's eyebrows went crooked.

"What baby?"

Aito left his seat and when over to the portable carriage sitting by the door. He brought it over to Hodaka, showing the little baby boy, sleeping in there without any awareness of the world outside his eyelids.

"Hodaka, this is your son, Sora. Hina is his mother."

Hodaka stared at the little baby in disbelief with wide eyes and panicked lips. _When did that happen?_ He wondered in alarm. There was a parade of images that went on in his head, showing his past and his future in blurred flashes. How would his parents react to him knocking up a young girl? How would he live between his role as a father, a student and rain god? More importantly, how would he even balance it all?

"When did this happen?" he asked him.

"How should I know?"

"I'll bet it was when I made love to her in that cave."

Aito tried to alternate the subject.

"Aren't you going to take him?"

Hodaka's face of fear turned into a mug of malice. His eyes were cold and steely towards Aito, as he made up the choice in his head.

"You can be his father."

"God-father would be more appropriate."

"No, I mean it. I am letting you be his father. I'm not ready to be a dad, and my dad wasn't a saint either. He abused me. He was strict with me and he wanted me to be just like him…and even though he's softened up a bit, I fear that I will become exactly like him…and one day, maybe after sixteen years, Sora will grow up to be a runaway, just like I was."

"It's not too late to love him."

"It is. I fear that I might end up hitting him if he acts out of line."

He got up from his bed and walked over to the door. Hina was on his mind now.

* * *

Hodaka travelled downstairs to the front office on light feet, anger and betrayal (or at least the kind when one is quick to jump to conclusions). Over by the desk, he found Hina, flanked by Emmaline and Sally. She turned around, her face observing the anger in Hodaka's eyes. She was so frightened that she decided not to speak.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were having a baby?!"

"Well," Hina said nervously. "I didn't want to bother you. If you found out that I was pregnant, you would have reprimanded me that we were too young to be parents."

"It seems as though you just spoke my mind," Hodaka's voice was calm now. "But do you want to know another secret, Hina? I'm an ame-oktoko. A weather man just like you. But while you have the ability to bring sunshine, I have the power to bring rain."

Hina found it hard to believe, and so did Emmaline and Sally.

"It's because of me this whole the city is flooded. It's because of me that I ruined so many lives because I was head over heels with you. It's almost because my powers that I got you pregnant."

"Does it really matter?" Hina shook her head.

"It matters to me," Hodaka said with anger in his voice. "You don't want me to abuse your powers anymore, I don't want to abuse mine and I say it's best for the both us that we do not see each other anymore. As for Sora…Aito can be his father. If my parents found out that I had a child…" his weakened to sadness. "I don't know what they would say."

He turned in the other direction and walked, in some metaphorical way, out of Hina's life for good.

Sally and Emmaline couldn't make any sense of what Hodaka was trying to say, yet they knew for certain that Hina and him had decided to break up.

Hina, being the only one who understood the full details, could not believe what he had just done.


	11. A Trip to Beijing

That night Hodaka couldn't sleep. He sat upright in the center of his bed with his silk blanket wrapped closely around him for warmth. But the warmth and comfort he wanted was to feel Hina's arms around him, to hear her sweet voice mocking the disastrous party until he could laugh at it and at the error of giving it.

He wanted comfort for her disappointment. He wanted love, grown-up caring and understanding. His heart had learned to love, it was overflowing with love, and he had nowhere to spend it.

Damn Hina for getting in the way! Why couldn't she understand that he was not prepared for fatherhood? She was kind, she was attractive, Hodaka enjoyed being with her. If he really wanted her, he didn't doubt for a minute that he could make her forget their troubles.

But he didn't want her, that was the problem. He didn't want anybody except Hina.

_It's not fair!_ he thought, like a child. And, like a child, eventually he cried himself to sleep.

* * *

When he woke, he was in control of himself once more. So what if everyone had found out that he was the father of a son he didn't want? If his father wanted him, why did he beat him? He had other friends and family members, and he was going to make lots more. Now that the first day of school was finally done, his mind was busy as a spider spinning a web with plans about the future. And in the meantime, the weather was nothing but drizzling rains, all throughout the country.

For the rest of the year, Hodaka avoided Hina as much as he could. He sat as far as he could from her in his classes, he sat away from the tables she sat at in the cafeteria and he dedicated most of his time towards his classmates, his job at K&A and the current residents of Keisuke Suga's "boarding house".

Keisuke Suga's home was no place for Hodaka to make his emergencies from the world of his up and coming parenthood with Sora and Hina, or so Natsumi had observed. He himself was beyond all comfort and, aside from the fact that Sora had been born in the guest room, this really wasn't the best place to live in because of how crowded it felt from Keisuke's perspective. Sure he had two homes, this and his apartment, but what good was it staying here whenever Nagi was boasting "I'm an uncle!" seven times over.

"I wish I could help take care of Sora, but, like you, I feel too young to be an uncle."

"That makes three of us," Hodaka sympathized as they spoke to each other, alone in the guest room. "Aito could do it, especially since he's had his eye on Hina since the first day of class."

"Am I sensing a love triangle or a rivalry?"

"A rivalry is more like it. But he's not malicious, he happens to be very kind to both me and Hina. And he wasn't even worried about being a father himself."

"But I thought he was Sora's godfather."

"He'll be a better father to Sora than I was. What if my father's strictness is hereditary? What if I end up abusing him to the point where he too wants to run away in search of another life? I can't risk that chance."

"Give Hina and Sora some time. Then, once you've waited long enough, you can go back to being a father again."

"Thanks Nagi, but I'd rather be as far away from here as possible. Especially since I am an ame-otoko."

"So I've heard. You know, Hina also tells me that her powers seem to be coming back pretty soon."

"How soon?"

"I'd say ninety-five percent is pretty good guess. Hopefully by the end of the year she can bring back the sun and the water will dry up."

Hodaka sighed, sinking into the bed and imagining the bright blue sky. "Wouldn't that be lovely. I just hope she doesn't try to sacrifice herself. I don't want to go through _that_ again."

By the end of dinner that night he was smiling at everyone, trying to keep the impression that his and Hina's relationship had been tossed aside. The food was excellent, and cooked to the best of Wadashi and Natsumi's skills, but Hodaka barely tasted it. He was feasting on admiration. Everyone in the Suga house wanted to know all about his vacation to South Korea.

"… and on the first Wednesday I got there; it rained all the way till sundown. I declare, I don't know why I don't turn yellow as a Chinaman, drinking half the tea in China the way I do," he said gaily to Suga on his left. He was fascinated by the duties of The Rain God.

"It seems to me," said Suga, "that you have busy schedule ahead of you."

"For as long as I can imagine after college," Hodaka replied, taking another sip of his drink.

* * *

The following morning, and for five mornings after, there were classes, sporting events and club meetings at the college. Hodaka was given the task of distributing umbrella for the crowds, no matter how lightly it rained. Perhaps, as a result of the light rain, Hina's powers were coming back to her at a rate that was quicker than Nagi had estimated.

Maki was cheering her cousin on as he played American football for the home team. They won, of course, and the team celebrated over bowls of udon noodles.

Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked Hodaka on the way back to the apartment.

"Every minute, Mai! Thank you for getting me invited. Everything was perfect. It's so thoughtful having those sandwiches in the bedroom. I always get hungry late at night, I guess everybody does."

Maki laughed until her eyes were streaming with tears. It made Hodaka huffy. "I don't see what's so funny about a healthy appetite. With the card game lasting until all hours, it's a long time after dinner when you go to bed."

Sandwiches, according to Maki's research on western culture, were formal invitations for men to come in.

"I find that to be a silly idea," Hodaka shook his head.

"Silly or not, it's always nice to do practice the cultures of another country's especially after hearing Sally-sama's stories of America."

Hodaka forced himself to sound cheerful. "Do you think it is better over there than it is here?"

"Depending how flooded the coastal cities are, it's probably just as bad as it is here."

This was enough to convince Hodaka that maybe travelling halfway around the world didn't seem like a good idea. Especially if the other parts of America, notably the mid-western territories, were not suffering from the same fate.

Hodaka had no way of knowing that Nagi had been on a date with one of his old school sweethearts while he was away. Nagi was becoming interested in older girls and video games. He went looking for kiddy Casanova who was coming back from school. A group of four or five little boys and girls were playing with him in the wet street. When he walked toward them, they stopped to notice Hodaka and took

Nagi looked up at his brother figure. "Is it all right if I brought Chiho over for dinner?" he asked.

"You'll have to see what Suga thinks, Nagi-san. You can ask him you get home. He'll be the one to to decide. Let's go home now and have dinner."

"What are you up for?"

"Definitely ramen noodles."

Up in the guest rooms Hodaka got out of his raincoat as quickly as he could. He felt an undefined need to wear his shirt and trousers and bright stockings for the rest of the year, as long as he was out of his uniform.

* * *

By mid-December Hodaka was pacing the guest room of the Suga house like a caged animal. He had forgotten how much he hated the dark, short, wet days of winter, and now it was going to be a wet Christmas because of the water that seemed likely to freeze over. He thought about going home to spend the holidays with his parents several times, but immediately pushed that thought aside, remembering his own decision to stay with the Sugas, not certain of knowing for sure if his father had finally gotten over the death of Obasan Morishima. He walked around the city a little bit. It wasn't necessary, the citizens were trying to keep themselves exercised on dry land. But he needed to be out, even in the ice-filled rain. When there were a few hours of drizzle he watched while Nagi took his girlfriend Chiho out on dates. Hodaka knew it was bad for next summer's grass, but Chiho was as restless as he was. It was all Hodaka could do to persuade the young couple to stay indoors, even in bus shelters and train stations.

On Christmas Eve, Nagi lit the teru teru bozu candle and then helped Suga, Moka and Natsumi with the Christmas tree. Wadashi held Moka up to reach the higher ones. "Such a forced custom," he said. "Next year I say we celebrate Christmas without the decorations. After all, Christmas is more about love and family than all the fancy things"

Hodaka looked at the bright decorations and glowing lights on the tree. "I think it's very pretty even if the Queen of England did start the fashion," he said. "Besides, I've got holly over all the windows and doors, too, Wadashi, so it's only necessary that we do this yearly practice. Don't be such a grump."

Suga and his in-laws chuckled and Hodaka breathed a sigh of relief. Still, if there was one thing he wanted to wish for that Christmas, it was for everything to go back to normal: he and Hina having a friendly, platonic relationship before Sora ruined everything.

Christmas day came, and Hodaka's wish had proven to be a tall order. He only got a few presents from the Suga's which were lying under the tree, a T-shirt with some rain and cloud designs all over it, two coffee mugs and a box of men's beauty products. Nagi got a new phone, Suga a box of beers, mittens and gloves for Ame, Natsumi and Wadashi, a dollhouse for Moka and an old tea set for Mr. and Mrs. Mamiya.

Having no present for Hina, Hodaka thought about Wadashi's words and took them to heart. After all, Christmas wasn't really about presents, but love. Love was the last thing on Hodaka's mind, he had to find some form of concentration on others besides her.

He didn't even bother to check on her when New Year's Day came along and for the rest of the school year in January, he decided to let her be.

Even when Valentine's Day came along in February, he contributed most of his time setting up the perfect date for Nagi and Chiho rather than finding some kind of trivial gift for Hina.

* * *

March came marching along with the melting of the ice, but luck was the last thing Hodaka need for him and Hina to get back together. Aito was already asking her out on dates, and he was even willing to watch over Sora while she studied. Hodaka couldn't have cared less, he was busy with his own studies and his job. He didn't even bother inviting Hina to his 19th birthday party, which was held at the Suga residence with only the current residents as guests. Hodaka did, however, receive a card from Hina, asking him to come back and get married like they planned. But Hodaka decided to get with even with her by not responding. His parents even sent him a text message, wishing him good luck with his new year of school.

In no time at all, he was dedicating most his time working at K&A once the freshman semester was over. Hodaka was busy typing away at an article on some rare species of fish living in former apartments when Suga came to see his progress.

"You know, Hodaka, I sometimes wonder what you're doing with your life."

"If you're talking about me ignoring Hina, I have a good reason to. You have more experience at being a father than I do and I've got none. My dad may have had his tender moments, but at the same time, he was being a bit of an asswipe."

"So you've told me," Suga said. "But I've been a much better father to you than yours is. Why not we take Moka to the park and you can watch me play with her. Perhaps it'll teach you how to care and cherish Sora."

"He is a baby!"

"Then you can teach him how to walk."

That was all Suga said before he returned to his office, leaving Hodaka along to finish the article.

April showers were light and dry, but still the rain was coming as a burden of Hodaka's past and his future as both a father and a loving husband to-be.

_Is this really the future you wanted me to have Otousan_? He thought as he stared up at the ceiling one night.

The University was holding an April Shower's Ball, which would commemorate the coming of spring and Easter. The students would be dressed in colors of grass green, sky blue and sun yellow, which seemed ill fitting compared to the weather that had plagued the city for over a total of four years. It was to be held in the Gotenshita Memorial Arena this year, and by the time Hodaka saw Hina dancing with Aito in a yellow dress that reminded her of the sun she had so hoped to bring back, it had been a year since he made his wish to stay with Hina forever.

"Be careful what you wish for," the old proverb had said. Yet in his case, Hodaka wanted to have children with Hina, but he never expected it would come so soon. From what he had seen, Aito was doing a superbly sufficient job and Hodaka began to muse that he could never really be a true father to Sora.

* * *

May came, June came and finally July came, all with the passing of homework, extra quizzes, tests, fact sheets, agricultural reports and other things with no interaction with Hina, Aito or Sora. Chang-min came back to Hodaka's apartment, ready to take him back to South Korea for another season of weekly rain in the countryside. Hodaka, who was eager to go, said nothing else but… "Anywhere is better than here."

Their flights were booked and they were off once more into the dry countryside of Busan.

At the temple, the members of the Bisin cult, including Bi Jun were waiting. As soon as the taxi left the temple, Hodaka was in a fever to greet them. He had so many things to tell the others, so many plans for the time when he'd take himself to all the farms and perform his weekly duties. He had other things to do in the meantime and he was planning to spend most of it in the temple. And soon it would be Liberation Day again. Hodaka thought that was the best of all, the moment when the year really began with the turning of the first sod. How very, very lucky he was. He had both—country and city, the Rain God and that adventurous college student in the pier glass.

The first person he met the week after he arrived was none other than Fang-Lin making his usual visits to his unwelcome relatives. Said relatives, wanting nothing to do with him, were outside, working in the field, leaving the two to themselves.

"I'm almost surprised to see you again," Hodaka said to the old man.

"Not indeed," chuckled Fang-Lin. "I have told my friends about you and they'd be interested if you came over to Beijing with me and visited them."

"For how long?"

"Just for the next few weeks after Liberation Day. You'll be back in time for college."

"Do you want me to show my powers to them?"

"Exactly. With your powers, we can prove to the world that at least some form of magic still exists."

Hodaka thought about it for a minute.

"You know, I've never been to China before. So my answer is 'yes'."

Fang-Lin bowed respectfully.

Thin watery sunlight shone briefly as Hodaka drove a spade into the earth on Liberation Day. It was a good omen for the year to come. To celebrate, he treated everyone in the village to porter and meat pies at the Kang family's restaurant. It was going to be the best year of all, he was sure of it. The next day he and Fang-Lin took the red-eye to Beijing, living there for the next two weeks until college started again.

* * *

He and Fang-Lin had a suite of rooms at the Imperial Mansion Hotel. The Imperial Mansion was THE place to stay in Beijing for the summer season. "We choose the occasion to be seen," Fang-Lin told him. Now he gazed around the huge hall inside the entrance and understood why Fang-Lin wanted them to be here. Everything was imposingly grand—the space, the staff, the guests, the controlled hushed busyness. He lifted his chin, then followed the porter up the half-flight to the first floor, the most desirable of desirables. Though Hodaka did not know it, he looked exactly like Fang-Lin's description to the doorman. "You will know him at once. He is extremely handsome, and he carries his head like an emperor."

In addition to the suite, another room was reserved for Hodaka's use. Fang-Lin showed it to him before they went down for tea. The finished portrait stood on a brass easel in a corner of the green brocaded room. Hodaka looked at it with wonder. Did he really look like that? That man wasn't afraid of anything, and he felt as nervous as a cat. He followed Fang-Lin downstairs in a daze.

Fang-Lin identified some of the people at other tables in the sumptuous lounge. "You'll meet them all eventually. After you're presented, you'll serve tea and coffee in your drawing room every afternoon. People will bring people to meet you."

_Who?_ Hodaka wanted to ask. Who will bring people, and who are the people they'll bring? But she didn't bother. Fang-Lin always knew what he was doing. The only thing Hodaka needed to be responsible for was not getting tangled up in random conversations when he socialized with the others after his presentation. Fang-Lin and his secretary Mrs. Sue-Sing were going to coach him with a practice presentation session every day until Sunday.

The heavy white envelope bearing the President's seal was delivered to the hotel the day after Hodaka arrived. Fang-Lin's expression gave no hint of how relieved he was. One never knew for sure about best-laid plans. He opened it with steady fingers. "Throne Room, Forbidden City," he said, "as expected. Day after tomorrow."

After a seven-minute drive to the Forbidden City, Hodaka waited in a group of white-gowned girls, boys, men and women on the landing outside the closed double doors to the Throne Room. It seemed to him he'd been doing nothing but waiting for a hundred years. Why on earth had he agreed to do this? Hodaka couldn't answer his own question, it was too complex. In part he was the Rain God, determined to conquer all of Asia and save their natural resources from heavy droughts. In part he was a Japanese boy dazzled by the grandeur of the former Chinese Empire's royal panoply. At bottom, Hodaka had never in his life backed down from a challenge and never would…not since he had found the courage to rescue Hina from her sacrifice.

Another name was called. Not his. For goodness sake! Were they going to make him be last? Fang-Lin hadn't warned him about that. Fang-Lin hadn't even told him until the last minute that he'd be alone all the way. "I'll find you in the ice restaurant after this is over." That was a fine way to treat him, throwing him to the wolves like that. He stole another glance down his front. He was terrified that he might look out of place in his traditional attire. That would really make this—what had Fang-Lin said? "An experience to remember."

"Mister Hodaka Morishima, Rain God of Busan, South Korea."

_Oh, Lord, that's me_, He repeated Fang-lin's coaching litany to himself. Walk forward, stop outside the door. Don't worry about your attire. If you were wearing a train, someone would have to carry it. The Gentleman Usher will open the doors. Wait for him to announce you.

"Mister Hodaka Morishima, Rain God of Busan, South Korea."

Hodaka looked at the Throne Room. _Well, Otousan, what do you think of your failure of a son now?_ he thought. _I'm going to stroll along that fifty miles or so of red carpet runner and greet all of the people who want to see me. _He glanced at the majestically dressed Gentleman Usher, and her right eyelid quivered in what might almost have been a conspiratorial wink.

The Rain God walked like an emperor to face the President's clean-shaven magnificence and present his cheek for the ceremonial kiss of welcome.

Turn to the First Lady now and bow. Back straight. Not too low. Stand up. Now back, back, back, three steps, don't worry, you won't trip. Now extend your left arm. Wait. Now turn. Walk out.

Hodaka's knees obligingly waited until he was seated at one of the dinner tables before they started trembling. Most of the people on his side of the table were mostly familiar with Fang-Lin, while on the opposite side, sat a microcosm of several international figures, even Donald Trump.

It was Trump who spoke first.

"So, Mister Morishima. Fang-Lin tells me that you are a rain man. Care to show how you can do it? I'd like to see Broadway give an outdoor performance of _Singin' in the Rain _with you providing the rain effects."

"Won't the actors get hurt?"

"Not unless they're trained well enough not to slip."

"I'd rather wait until after we eat, if that doesn't go against your wishes of course," in spite of his reputation, Hodaka felt humbled in the presence of so many political figures.

After that hearty meal of chicken chow mien, Hodaka brought everyone outside to the courtyard. Everyone was prepared to stand under the pagoda for obvious reasons and Donald Trump stood amongst the front of the crowd next the Chinese President on his right-hand side. Cameras, both personal and from media corporations, stood by, ready to record.

Hodaka slowly coupled his hands together and closed his eyes very tightly. He drew a short breath and let a little of it out as the smell of rainwater tickled his nose. The cameras recording the scene were aimed upwards by their owners, noticing the darkening sky. The first drop appeared, but it's entrance was overshadowed by the other drops that fell into the courtyard, pounding and spraying the walls with it's all natural water. The President of China was the first to step out into the water. Sure his suit might have gotten soaked, and so did his hair, but he didn't mind. He had witnessed a miracle.

"It's the way things are. I'm not offended." Fang-Lin was anticipating the evening with pleasure. He planned to go over her account book. Hodaka's success and Hodaka's extravagance had greatly exceeded even Fang-Lin's most optimistic expectations. She felt like a nabob, and he liked to gloat over her wealth. Admission to the coffee hour alone was bringing in "gifts" of almost a hundred pounds a week. And there were still two weeks left in the month, Hodaka had to be back to finish the remainder of his semester year as soon as possible. He would see Hodaka off to his privileged evening with a light heart.

Hodaka paused in the doorway of the Throne Room to enjoy the spectacle. "You know, Fang-Lin, I never get used to this place," he said. "I'm like Prince Charming at the ball."

"I'd never associate you with Prince Charming, Hodaka," he said adoringly. Hodaka's wink had put his heart in his pocket when he left the Forbidden City.

"You'd be surprised," Hodaka said. He nodded absentmindedly in response to bows and smiles from familiar faces nearby. How lovely it was. It couldn't be real, he couldn't really have been there. Everything had happened so fast; he needed time to absorb it.

* * *

Instead of heading straight back to South Korea when August 31st came along, Hodaka went to Capitol International to book his flight. He was lucky to be leaving with so few passengers as before, since the water level seemed to be getting higher every year. During his absence, the men were doing their best to repair or add new drainage systems, but still, there attempts only brought the water level down by a few inches. He settled back into his apartment, smug, strong and confident with the courage to see Hina again.

He met her in the cafeteria the next day. Surprisingly, she was sitting alone.

"Hello, Hina."

"How flattering," she said with a twisty half smile. "I suppose you're finally going to tell me that you're ready to be a father."

"It's more of a social call, actually. Where's Aito?"

"Looking after Sora in my apartment, not that you want to take care of him."

"I'm still not ready yet."

"As ready as you were for all those politicians back in Beijing? I read about it online. It seems to me that you've become something of a national weather hero to half of Asia."

From behind Hina, Hodaka could spot Aito carrying Sora as he joined Emmaline, Sally and the other classmates. He knew in an instant this wasn't the right place to hold a private conversation.

"I could use a spot of fresh air, wouldn't you?"

The slight drizzle brought a refreshing air into Hodaka and Hina as they walked along the campus. Hina swallowed her words before bringing up what she was going to say next.

"Have you decided to settle your life here for good?"

"I don't know Hina, the rest of the world still needs their crops and their rain. Then again, I don't think much about the future…or the future we could have had together."

"On the other hand," Hina tried to bring some positive energy into the conversation. "Aito seems pleased to be taking care of Sora. I had to spend another birthday without you around and if this keep up….I might want to consider marrying him."

Hodaka didn't take this seriously. "Marry him?"

"As soon as he asks his parents for their blessing."

Hodaka looked away from her.

"You don't even know my parents. You never even met them."

"Does it make any difference? I can only imagine that they might overreact if they found out that you impregnated me."

"You just took the words right out of my mouth," Hodaka wanted to laugh. "But I don't think you understand me as much as Aito does. He thinks I'm still in love with you."

"Hodaka…"

"Don't look so innocent and frazzled around me, Hina! Do you think that since I've stopped loving you, you have stopped loving me? Or is the other way around now."

"I say the tables have turned."

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be chasing after you and you be chasing after me."

"Maybe we're meant to be together, Hodaka. You're a rain-man and I'm a sunshine-woman. If we renewed our love and got married like you wanted us to be….maybe the weather's balance will be restored."

"In the land of fantasy maybe, this is reality…"

He stopped, then laughed at his own words.

"Then again, fantasy is reality."

Hina sighed, nearly chuckling at those words before continuing.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry…for everything including Sora."

"It's not your fault. We were in love. And teenage pregnancy can happen to almost anybody. I brought it upon myself."

"You haven't been bringing anything on yourself, Hodaka, except that—"

"Just be quiet, Hina. You don't even know what I am talking about."

"Well then, tell me."

Crossing his arms, he walked further away from her, at least by ten steps. And then, he looked back at her.

"I could have been a better husband to you than I was when I help you and Nagi escape from the CPS guys….or at least when I had the chance to know that I was ready to be a father. But with so many other things happening in my life, I've been a busy man. Therefore, you never gave me the chance and now it's too late."

"I didn't meant to cause you any distress, Hodaka. But at least you've finally gotten the nerve to talk to me. Are you planning to stay here long?"

"As long as the rest of the semester. And when I've taken care of my studies…I'll be off to South Korea again. You shouldn't be having any trouble avoiding me until then…maybe the next time I see you, you'll be Mrs. Aito Hamato."

Hina felt her heartstrings being tugged on by an invisible palpitation.

"I'm not going to be married that soon. Aito hasn't even told his parents yet. He wants to know me a little more."

Hodaka turned in front of Hina with sad, blinking eyes.

"Why did I come back here? Why did I even have Sora in the first place?"

"Because it's just what you told me last year, Hodaka. You were a silly childish dreamer."

"Then I guess that means that I am still too childish to be a father either. My genes are like my own father's and I'm still his flesh and blood….as I told you before Hina, I could end up driving him away if I start hurting him."

His words were replaced with fresh tears and Hodaka ran back into the building as Hina watched him disappear out of her sight.


	12. Life's Full of Consequence

Another month, another school year.

Hodaka had fewer people to talk to and fewer opportunities from his contacts. He did receive one delicious piece of news from his mother in a text message which read:

_Hodaka,_

_If you ever wish to come home for a visit, now would seem like a good time. Your father has finally stopped grieving over Oba-chan's death and he is going back to work again. He is willing to apologize for hitting you and if you ever wish to turn to us for advice, we'll be there to listen to you._

_Let me know when,_

_Okasan_

_I don't think I want to go home just yet. Home is here. But is this home to me anymore?_

He mused over the answer as he worked on writing articles at K&A. His money was coming in at a usual rate, even though one or two banks were going out of business due to the flood. Hodaka looked back at the flood, wondering about how the marital relationship between a rain-man and a sun-woman could work. Then again, if Hina could bring back the sun, the city would dry up and he wouldn't bother with her anymore.

Everyone in the offices heard thunder in the distance at the top floor. Everyone who was socializing the break rooms stopped talking, stopped eating, stopped laughing to look up in hope at the foreboding grey sky. Natsumi, Wadashi and Ame started going to church on Sundays and the people of Tokyo, desperate for everything to go back to normal, lit candles with private prayers for sunshine.

_I ruined everyone's lives and it's all my fault,_ Hodaka finally mused to himself. _Worst of all, I'm the father of a child that I don't want and I don't even know I want to be with Hina anymore, is there anything else that matters._

But what was there that mattered?

On the first day of October, the clouds borne on the west wind began to pile together instead of scudding past. By late afternoon they filled the horizon, half-black and heavy. The men and women who were walking in the streets outside lifted their heads into the staccato gusts of wind, smelling rain. There would be no prayer indeed if the sun did not return.

The storm broke at first dark, in a cannonade of deafening cracks of lightning that lit up the sky brighter than day, and a deluge of rain. People fell to the ground and covered their heads. Hail peppered them with stones of ice as big as walnuts. Cries of pain and fear filled the moments of silence between lightning cracks.

Hodaka was leaving his apartment when he saw the rain outside. It was just as rainy as the day he first came to Tokyo. His hair was soaked, his clothes were sogged and the mood was utter sadness. His life, as he was starting to see it, was crumbling down into a deficiency of perfection.

When he woke up at four in the morning, the rain was drizzling small tiny drops. The next big event of the was some miles away in Fuchu. A lot of people would be at the Tokyo Racecourse, Suga told him. He'd be expected to be there.

Hodaka declined. "No thanks, Suga. I know you're trying to cheer me up, but I could use just a little more time alone."

No need, said Suga. She could sell them for four times their cost. And she herself had no interest in horses.

She thanked Suga for making her an independent woman. "You are independent now as well, Hodaka. You don't need me anymore. Stay on Mrs. Sims' good side and let her dress you. The Shelbourne has reserved your rooms for next year's Season. Your house will accommodate all the guests you ever want to have, and your housekeeper is the most professional woman I've ever met in that position. You are in the world now. Do with it what you will."

"What will you do, Suga?"

"As soon as I've made tons of money, I think I'll retire in Italy. Good food, good wine, and day after day of sunlight. I'm getting tired of the rain."

Even Suga couldn't complain about this weather, Hodaka thought. He remembered what spring was like on Kozushima, particularly one spring day the year before he ran away. The spring was sunnier than anyone could remember a spring ever being. The grass was tall and rich, and the wheat was tender fresh green. Because of his visit to Beijing, the harvest in South Korea this year should have decreased by his efforts from last year.

He started visiting the Suga house on weekends.

"How is Nagi doing?" he asked Natsumi.

"He is doing well," Natsumi told him. "He and his new girlfriend have been going out like there's no tomorrow."

Hodaka looked outwards at the rain outside.

"As long as this rain lasts, I don't even think there will be a tomorrow for anyone else."

The front page of the Times was made up entirely of reports and speculations on the weather. Pages two and three had more and more items about outrages against landlords' property and agents.

Hodaka glanced at the online articles every day, then threw it aside. At least he didn't have to worry about Suga and his tenants, thank God for that. He knew they'd take care of each other.

But it wasn't easy. Too often, when he arrived in a big city that was supposed to have stockpiles of clothes and food, he discovered that the supplies were only to be bought at for a certain price, or were all far from his price range. In the beginning he haggled with vigor about the prices, but as his money became scarcer, he was so happy to find anything at all that wanted, such as the Big Mac that sealed his fate and ultimate meeting with Hina.

_It's as bad as it was in the other parts of Japan after World War II,_ he thought. _No, it's worse. Because then we were fighting the Americans, who bombed or burned everything. Now I'm fighting for the lives of more people than I ever had depending on me and Hina when she still had her powers. And I don't even know who the enemy is. I can't believe I put a curse on Tokyo._

As so, just to prove himself capable of redemption, he bought a few candles with some of his savings and gave them to several of Suga's neighbors.

At the same time, he felt helpless, and living in a flooded city was a frightening experience for everyone who suffered and lost their homes from the flood.

All the talk was of the weather. Japan had never before in its history had a flood that was this bad, and what else could this succession of rainy days be called? There was almost no corner of the country that had people longing to see the sun again. There'd be trouble for sure when the ocean rose higher and higher in the next ten years.

He hadn't thought of that. Hodaka's heart felt like lead. God would definitely punish him for sure.

He continued going to social events, among other things being his classes. He still helped his classmates, still concentrated on his studies and all the while, his mind was pretending like there would always be a tomorrow for the city of Tokyo. In the days to come, depending on how many natural resources, gardens and storages were affected by the flood, some people would have to live on budgets and at least some people who didn't have jobs would be forced out of their home by law.

This really was turning into a social nightmare.

But Hodaka had grown up in a world where it was accepted that sometimes a little something failed or a little something greater wrought havoc. He knew that next year would be different, and certainly better…or worse. He was not a failure because of the disaster of the drought and the hail. It wasn't like the lumber business or the store where she would have been responsible if there had been no profit.

Besides, the losses would barely make a dent in his bank account. He could be extravagant for the rest of his life, and the crops at South Korea could replenish every year if he stayed longer than two months, and he would still have plenty of money.

Hodaka sighed unconsciously. For so many years he had worked and scrimped and saved, thinking that if only he could have enough money, she would be happy. Now she had it, thanks to Suga, and somehow it didn't mean anything at all. Except that there was no longer anything to work for, to scheme and strive for.

He wasn't foolish enough to want to be poor and desperate again, but she needed to be challenged, to use his quick intelligence, to conquer obstacles. And so, he thought with longing about jumping fences and streets and taking chances in a powerful body that he controlled by force of will.

When his homework was done, Hodaka turned to his computer with a silent sigh. What else was there in the world?

He felt longings he could not name, an emptiness that cried out to be filled within him.

"Hina," he whispered to the darkness outside.

He was obligated to choose between her and a clear blue sky and he chose love, silly, foolish love. He could have tried to find a compromise, but because of the nature of her powers, there was no other choice.

_Life goes on. A mighty good life, too. I made up my mind I was going to be happy and I guess I am. I've just got to notice it._

He smiled at his reflection in the window…and he looked confused. He might as well could have caught a glimpse of his younger, foolish self. A self that was responsible for the downpours and destruction of everyone who lived here.

It rained that evening when he ate, it rained when he was asleep, and predictably, it was still raining when he woke up.

_Same old, same old._

He stayed at the Suga residence for a week, helping Nagi with his own homework every day. On Friday they went out and ate sushi and the day after, he took Nagi out to the movies with Chiho and there were very few people there since most of the movies were either in lower areas, or they just didn't care anymore.

Like everyone else in Tokyo, Hodaka read the online newspapers the rest of that autumn with alarm that grew into outrage. For him, the alarm was caused by the number of homeless people growing by the percentages. Their efforts to fight back the rising waters were perfectly understandable as far as he was concerned. Attacking some poor innocent victim or a pair of policemen with fists or guns was only a normal human reaction, and he was sorry that it stopped none of the evictions. It wasn't the fault of the person who could not pay his or her own taxes due to a decrease in jobs. He knew all about that himself.

At nearby social gatherings the talk was always about the same thing, and the citizens were much less tolerant than Hodaka. They were worried by the instances of resistance by other people. "Dammit, what do they expect? If they don't pay their rents, they don't keep their houses. They know that, it's always been like that for the last four years. We're all gonna drown anyway…"

But Hodaka's reactions became the same as his and Suga's neighbors when a pair of homeless bums entered in. There had been scattered incidents during the summer. These bums were more organized now, and more brutal. Night after night homes and stores were looted. Some people were either hurt or killed. Shop windows were smashed, and all types of weapons were scattered across the floor. And more and more as autumn turned to winter there were attacks from concealment against military men, soldiers and policemen, and upper-class people in trains or in cars.

Hodaka thought about what was due to come in the following year and he took all of these attacks and with even greater tinge of guilt.

All the same, he worried constantly about Hina, Aito and Sora. What if they were attacked by these degenerates as well? Should I even bother to go looking for them? No. There has to be another answer.

And so, Hodaka set off for the long-awaited day after New Year's to set off for Beijing. He asked the college dean for permission he could have a week to himself before he could go back to work, telling him at it would give him some extra time to study. Perhaps Fang-Lin would be the one to answer his problems. Fang-Lin may have been nasty in the eyes of others, but he seemed very nice to Hodaka during the trip to China.

Chang-min and the others may have had more knowledge of the weather gods, but what he needed was someone who was more down to Earth, someone who was more practical and sufficient to ease his pain in a different kind of escapism. Perhaps he could even pick up a thing or two about being a politician and he could also find some way of saving as many lives as he could.


	13. Fang-Lin's True Colors

Fang-Lin found Hodaka outside his door that afternoon. Hodaka was wearing his street clothes and raincoat, looking out of place in this establishment of class and wealth.

"How surprising of you to come here, Hodaka," he said. "How may I ask did you manage to find my abode?"

"A lot of people in town seem to know where you live," Hodaka said, with honeyed sweetness. "I just pieced the information together before I found a more conclusive address from somebody close by. I think he was a repair man."

Fang-Lin raised his eyebrows. "It seems to me that you took quite the trouble of looking for me," he said. "Would you like to discuss things more over a drink?"

"Sure, I would like that."

* * *

Hodaka and Fang-Lin rode to a restaurant the Beijing Country Golf Club in his car and settled for two drinks. Some of the patrons there were familiar with Fang-Lin, for he was notorious throughout political side of China and this was one of his favorite hideaways from the public eye. Hodaka was quick to learn that he possessed one of the greatest fortunes in China, owned properties in Shanghai and Hong Kong as well as his estate in Beijing. He had been the favored target of matchmaking parents for over twenty years, ever since he had inherited his wealth at the age of eighteen, but he had escaped capture by anyone, even several noted beauties with fortunes of their own. There were whispered stories about broken hearts, shattered reputations, even suicides. And more than one wife had met him in the years of his younger days. Aside from others, some of his own family thinking that he was immoral, cruel, dangerous, and perhaps even evil, Fang-Lin was the most mysterious and fascinating man in the world.

Hodaka imagined the sensation it would cause if a Japanese widow in her thirties succeeded where all the titled Chinese concubines had failed.

Fang-Lin showed none of the signs of a man desperately in love. Even though he looked very kind, he intended to possess women, not marry them.

His eyes narrowed. _I think he needs someone else besides a wife. A surrogate son perhaps? After all, he's a lot richer than my dad._

But he couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be his apprentice of a sort.

At last, Fang-Lin noticed.

"You don't seem to be your usual self, Hodaka. Any troubles at home?"

"None whatsoever. It's just thing like homework and real work itself."

"If you stayed with me, you'd never have to work again…or at least on occasion so that you can earn your keep."

"Me?" Hodaka just beamed. "You're offering me to stay?"

"Sure. It seems to me that your heart is not in the right place, and I say that your home is here."

He drained his glass.

"As the rain god of South Korea, the home of my nephew, you could say that you need a different sense of geography. It would be beneficial for you to get away from your troubles. There is question at all for you to live with me. And when summer comes, we can go back to South Korea if you like."

* * *

Back at Hina's residence, Aito popped in, looking troubled. Hina, who was rocking Sora to sleep in a cradle, was bearing a puzzled face.

"Aito, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, Hina. I just spoke with my parents, I told them all about you and…they don't think you're the right girl for me. I even told them that Sora was legally my child and that I slept with you…. then again, there are nights where you can't seem to sleep."

"Have I been disturbing you?" Hina didn't seem too worried over Mr. and Mrs. Hamato's rejections.

"It's not a question of what's been disturbing _me_, Hina, it's a question of what's been disturbing _you_."

"The only thing that's been disturbing me is seeing you here, telling me that your parents don't me for a wife."

"Among other things," Aito went on to say. "Nothing has been the same since I told Hodaka about Sora."

"He told you to be his father, didn't he?"

"Well, yes. But Hodaka seemed to be growing more and more distant from us over the past year. It's like wants nothing to do with us anymore. He's even gone as far as leaving us."

Hina's eyes widened.

"Gone where?"

"How should I know? He could be in China for all I care. Ever since that race, he's become an entirely new person."

That description seemed very accurate on Aito's part, and he was right too. From the way Aito was describing it all, Hina began to see that Hodaka wasn't that poor, suffering boy who loved her more than anything in the world, even a blue sky. That Hodaka had transformed into a boy suffering from another early life crisis besides the narrow mindset of Kozushima's islanders and his overcontrolling father. But perhaps, there was little bit of the old Hodaka left within him. If that was true, she would go after him. She stood up to Aito, declaring.

"I'm going to look for him. Then I can convince him to return, we'll be married, Sora will be legitimized and we can bring balance back into the weather…forever. Now where in China did he say he was going?"

"Beijing, I believe. The headmaster told me. Yesterday, I was trying to look for Hodaka, asking him if he still wanted you, should my parents say otherwise. So I went to the headmaster, I asked him and he told me that Hodaka went to Beijing. Said that he was going to take a vacation some rich guy named Fang-Lin."

* * *

Fang-Lin's residence had two guest rooms, one for a couple, the other for a single person. Hodaka was given the single room, which had lime-green painted walls and a large wool bed fit for a king.

"Did you miss me while I was away?" Hodaka asked Fang-Lang over dinner.

"As much as the sun does when the moon comes up to take its place. But personal feelings are best kept aside for those of family and even closer friends."

"That's pretty assuring."

"May I ask the same of you?"

"Sometimes, back in Tokyo. The reason why I didn't want to go back to South Korea was…when I was with you, at the party in the Forbidden City, I felt like a prince. Back in the temple, I was like a god. But all the same I want some place in between, especially since the lives of the cult members was a lot simpler."

"Simple as it may, I have to take a meeting with my nephew over his finances."

He pulled out his cell phone and began dialing the number, walking to his office on the way. But Hodaka seemed too eager to help as he followed after him.

"Can I help you? I'm sure your nephew likes me better."

"Wait in your room," he instructed sternly, standing outside the office door. "This is a personal matter."

"Maybe after this we can talk about doing something tomorrow? Where would you like to go for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Someplace where I can work in peace."

"I thought we could do something fun for a change."

Fang-Lin chuckled. "Hodaka, you may think that I am rich enough to satisfy my needs and wants for the rest of my life, but that is not entirely true. I am a busy man."

And he closed the door.

Hodaka held his head proudly high until he heard the front door close behind him. Then he ran to lock the door. Safe from the eyes of the servants, he threw herself onto the bed and sobbed wildly. How could he have been foolish enough to escape the karma of his choice by living here? How could he have told himself that he could learn to be the apprentice of a man who was starting to show disinterest in him. And what was he going to do now? His mind was filled with the picture of Sora on a chair, crowned and laughing with delight. What should he do?

"Hina...," Hodaka cried brokenly, "Hina, I need you so much."

* * *

Little did he know that Hina was getting ready to board the next flight out to Beijing. Nagi was coming with her, carrying Sora and pulling their luggage at the same time.

"They say travel broadens the mind," Aito was telling her. "Maybe when you get to Beijing, you can do some sightseeing before you look for Hodaka."

"I suppose, but Hodaka's my top priority right now."

They made their way over to the gate where a commuter jet was waiting. It was twenty-nine minutes before it was due to leave, so Hina gave Aito a quick kiss of thanks and waved goodbye to him before running her way down the skybridge with Nagi and Sora following her in a quick pursuit. They sat close to the wing on the right-hand side, providing them with a good view of the city that they were about to leave behind. Hina and Nagi had never really left Tokyo before in all of their lives, so to them, it was pretty exciting, although Hina was thinking of what she was going to say to Hodaka as the plane took off for the neighboring country of China.

It was early the next morning when Hodaka gave no outward sign of his shame, but he condemned himself savagely for choosing to spend a vacation with Fang-Lin over the Bisin cult back in South Korea. He picked out some clothes for himself, a jade green shirt with a pair of black trousers when Mrs. Sue-Sing came in.

"I see you're already up, Hodaka xiān sheng."

"Hello, Mrs. Sue-Sing."

"You know, I heard that you intend to stay with us for some time. How long will it be?"

"Just a getaway trip. Mr. Fang-Lin says it's beneficial for me."

"Well, Beijing is very large and very rough compared to Tokyo."

"Not to worry," Hodaka smiled. "I think I'll be staying out of the rough parts."

"Well," said Sue-Sing with some sort of ambiguity in her voice. "Do you think you'll like living here?"

Hodaka's face turned into one of doubt.

"I suppose so. I've got more than money to be here, thanks to Fang-Lin."

"But I've seen how horrible he acts to others. I've never even bothered to stand up to him because I could get fired and even I have some relatives like my uncle, my father and my baby sister to take care of."

"He can't be as bad you think," Hodaka reassured her. "I'm sure I could find you another job if you don't feel like working for him anymore. Maybe my boss Suga-san will help you with that."

"What does he do?"

"Works for K&A, it's a paranormal magazine company."

"I'm not sure if I'd be interested in that. I'm more of a down to earth woman. My husband fell victim to the coronavirus, but I managed to survive by being quarantined in a hospital. I didn't get out of that hospital ward until three weeks later."

"What about the rest of your family?"

"They were fine. Most of them anyway."

Hodaka could see the pain in her eyes, and thus, he proposed a precaution.

"Well, if he ever did anything that very illegal, you know what to do."

"I will," and with that Mrs. Sue-Sing left the room.

Hodaka left the room with a tiny bubble of excitement boiling in his heart. It was nice to be wanted, nice to wear pretty suits and dance in pretty rooms. So what if the social world of Beijing was Afilled with corrupt and dishonest politicians? He knew enough now to recognize that society's smiles and frowns, rules and transgressions, honors and ostracisms, triumphs and losses, were all part of a game. None of it was important, none of it mattered to the world of reality outside the gilded ballrooms. But games were made to be played, and he was a good player. He was glad, after all, that he'd come to Beijing. He liked to win.

Work was over for Fang-Lin and now he was on his lunch hour. Hodaka greeted him with cool good manners and ignored the expression of contemptuous confidence in his eyes. Hoping he was in a brighter mood than yesterday, Hodaka asked sweetly.

"Can we go out for lunch again?"

"I suppose so, where do you want to go?"

"Anyplace that's fancy, I would like to broaden my horizons if I'm going to be staying with you."

"How about the King's Joy?"

"Is it nice?"

"Better than nice, it's classy."

The King's Joy was located in Dongcheng. The exterior looked as old as the Forbidden City with its ancient architecture, but it had a nice atmosphere on the inside, and was recommend by many of the upper classes that it was a good place for a business dinner if anyone of Fang-Lin's stature wanted to impress their clients. The menu included fried rice, dumplings, lotus root soup, hawthorn, sweet pea puree, and dozens of other vegan meals. Hodaka had the fried rice with the black truffle roast asparagus. Even though it was healthy, he was starting to miss all the restaurants back in Tokyo, which seemed diverse and unique compared to what was on the menu, but it was obvious that Beijing was the same.

He heard the sound of a text notification on his phone and looked at it. It read "Where are you?" which came from Hina of all people.

If Hodaka was willing to satisfy Hina's concerns and put them to rest, he decided to give her the address of Fang-Lin's before adding. "Don't come looking for me unless I need you. They say that Fang-Lin is bad, but I think he's good."

Fang-Lin, who was finishing his organic seasonal greens, noticed Hodaka texting back to Hina.

"I say, Hodaka. Is there someone I should know about?"

Hodaka's heart leapt.

"Yes, the sender is Hina Amano, a friend of mine from back home. She wants to come over, but I told her only to come if it was that important."

"A wise decision if you ask me," he paused before adding. "How's about a trip to the Jockey Club. I have several associates waiting for me there."

"Sounds fun," Hodaka murmured, and he was wishing internally that he was going with Suga instead.

It was bright and sunny when they came to the Tongzhow Racecourse. Hodaka was grateful for the second tier of grandstand overhead. It made a roof for the privileged seat-holders below.

"Good show," one of the men chortled. "Dang-ko is a great little mudder."

"Do you fancy anything, Hodaka?" said a smooth voice in his ear. It was of course, Fang-Lin.

"I haven't decided yet, sir."

When the riders came onto the track, Hodaka cheered and applauded with the rest. He agreed twenty times with Fang-Lin's friend Joe Bai-yung that even the naked eye could pick out Dang-ko as the handsomest horse there. All the time he was talking and smiling his mind was methodically making its way through the options, the plusses and the minuses of his life. It would be highly dishonorable to live with Fang-Lin for the rest of his life. It seemed to him, that Fang-Lin was molding him into becoming his legal ward, even though he already had parents, who already safe and secure in their own little world back on Kozushima. No one would ever question who his real father was. Not quite true, they would wonder but it would make no difference despite their differences in nationalities. He would eventually be The Rain God of Busan, and the Son Figure of Fang-Lin.

_What kind of honor do I owe Fang-Lin? He has none himself, why should I feel he's entitled to it from me? It's not like I'm going to stay here forever, so I shouldn't have to be his legal ward._

Dang-ko won. Joe Bai-yung was in transports. Everyone crowded around him, shouting and pounding on his back.

Under cover of the happy rowdiness, Hodaka turned to Fang-Lin.

"What can we do next?"

"Next? Why there's work to be done in the office of course. You stay and watch me, Hodaka, perhaps you can actually learn a thing or two about politics."

Hodaka and Fang-Lin rode together down the highway to the Great Hall of the People. The younger lad wrinkled his nose at the smell of both the smog and the cleaner air found within the upper-class areas of the city. His island home and Tokyo never reeked this way, except when in a fish market. When they got to the hall, he had little time to take in the architecture before being led into Fang-Lin's office, which was located in the office building of the standing committee. It was medium sized, but far from fancy, with Fang-Lin's personals scattered across his desk. Hodaka watched him typing up some documents in a chair. He didn't know what the contents were, nor did he care, but he did try to take a long glance at the words, out of curious pining for information.

At the same time, every minute of it was torture. Why couldn't he hurry? Hurry, hurry, hurry, said his mind to the tick-tock of the clock. It was nearly two hours after Fang-Lin finished his speech, made seven phone calls and wrote to several of his fellow politicians about the current climate of Asia, when they left office and went over to a mansion in Shadow Creek where Joe Bai-yung and his wife Fifi were hosting a dinner party to welcome Hodaka.

"Should I wear something for the occasion?" he asked Fang-Lin.

"It's best that you go as you are," Fang-Lin said in a fatherly tone. "That way, people will be able to see the real you."

There were five men, five women and three waiters for each course that occupied the modernly styled dining room of the Bai-yung mansion. All of them were friends of Fang-Lin. Roast chicken and egg foo yung was served to all with glasses of water and vintage wine leftover from the 90s. Hodaka sat next to Fang-Lin, watching the other eating politely. It reminded him all the social dinners that he and his parents went to, remembering the same lean people and the same mindless babble of how things were going on in the world. He took a bite of his chicken and did his best not to slurp and or eat with his mouth open. After swallowing a chunk, Fifi Bai-yung spoke out.

"My husband tells me that you are the Rain God of South Korea, are you not?"

"Quite right, Mrs. Bai-yung," said Hodaka in his ever-growing Mandarin language. "I am also delighted to be here."

The truth was, he felt like an outsider amongst these men of governmental power.

"I also understand that you've made quite a show back in the Imperial City."

"Yes, I did. But I think it was more a natural phenomenon than a show."

"I expect it was," said Mai Win-chu sitting opposite of him. "But I think out of all the Japanese people that I know of; you are a very positive exception."

"Meaning?" Hodaka frowned.

"That you are a special case. Some of the Japanese men that I've met in my entire lifetime often view me as a sex symbol. But to make peace with a local group in South Korea, why, I also happen to believe that you're very open-minded."

"Why thank you," Hodaka smiled, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "I like South Korea just as much as I like Tokyo. Maybe the Koreans are not as bad as my people believe them to be."

"I'm afraid I can't share your opinions on that, young man," Fifi said solemnly. "I still remember my mother's stories about the wars that went on in both Korea and Vietnam because of the Americans."

"Or did those two start it first?" Hodaka asked.

"The Americans are also responsible for the only the nuclear attacks on the cities of your native land," said Mai Win-chu sympathetically.

Hodaka tried to keep a civil face.

"It isn't in my right mind to say that America destroyed much during the war. After that, they made up and fixed everything, or so I think. I even have at least one American family living back home, on Kozushima. The Harrelsons, they're quite friendly."

Mrs. Bai-yung took another glass of her wine before continuing.

"Nice or not, my husband would not be civil with them should they even think of coming here."

"I should warn you, Mrs. Bai-yung, that they may not be civil to your husband in relation. Same goes for anyone else in Asia."

The lady in question stared at Fang-Lin as he said these words before taking another sip.

"My husband's feelings are his and not mine. Sometimes it is nice to share when alone, but when it public it is best to know when to hold your tongue."

"Quite a curious race, the bunch of them, the Americans, the Koreans, the Japanese. We weren't so friendly to them either during the war," said Huan Lin-see who was next to Fang-Lin.

"How curious do you think they are?" asked Hodaka.

"Every aspect of their existence," the man replied. "I'm sure you'll understand better in a few years."

"I think I already do," Hodaka's volume was starting to rise. "We are all human beings, aren't we? Does it really matter if we're different based on nationality or skin color? Even the Ainus back on my island thinks that we are all a part of one family."

"Well, there are language differences," Huan was saying. "An even though language is the key to world peace, it hasn't done much for the lower classes."

"Well maybe it's the governments that are stupid, why else would we go to war?"

Everyone just stared or gasped in horror at Hodaka's choice of words. He darted his eyes left and right before settling his fork down.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm the one who's stupid."

He lowered his head in shame.

* * *

The rest of that dinner was spent in total silence until everyone else had finished off their plates. After a great deal of desert, Hodaka trudged his way back Fang-Lin's limo. Back the time they got back to his mansion it was close to darkness and Fang-Lin went into the kitchen to fetch a bottle of whiskey that he had been saving for many years before joining Hodaka in the parlor, the two of them sitting on opposite sides in the manner of enemy generals, from two opposing forces, about to make peace with one another.

But there would be little peace that evening.

Fang-Lin took one swig of his glass before addressing Hodaka.

"How do you like living here so far?"

"I'm afraid it's quite boring. I wish to leave tomorrow."

"Boring? Sometimes life has to be boring so that we can get used to how it works. Life isn't fair either."

"I know life isn't fair. Why else do you think I ran away to Tokyo four years ago. My life back home on Kozushima may have been strict, but at least my parents and I had our fun moments as a family. So at least it wasn't _that_ boring."

Fang-Lin smirked while taking another sip.

"I'm not accustomed to being discarded like some dead fish, Hodaka. I can be quite lonely in the house and in my job as well."

Hodaka's eyes narrowed.

"So it's true then. Money can't buy you happiness after all."

"But what you can buy with money can you happy."

"I'd rather not go on about it. I'm trying to be very civil about it and I hope you do the same."

He got up and was just about to leave when Fang-Lin's voice stopped him in his steps.

"What if I told you that…with your abilities at bringing the rain upon others, could be beneficial for others in another way."

"What do you mean?" Hodaka was starting to become interested.

"Even as we speak, Tokyo was being flooded thanks to the rain and your own efforts. Pretty soon it will be uninhabitable and it's people will be lost to the waters as we triumph over how massive our country is compared to that island. After eighty years, we will finally avenge our people who died trying to protect Shanghai from the Japanese occupation."

Hodaka could not believe what he had heard.

"That so called-island happens to be my home! And if Tokyo gets flooded all the way, Beijing could be next."

Fang-Lin's eyes searched around the room and he took a gulp of the last drops of whiskey, finishing the glass.

"Then, I am afraid, young Hodaka that you will be the one to damn us all."

Hodaka could see that the effects of the whiskey were starting to take it's toll on the older man.

"I'd appreciate you didn't say those words. I was in love with Hina and there's nothing I could do about it."

"Then perhaps, if given the opportunity to travel back in time, you should have thought twice before dooming us to extinction."

"People do crazy things when they are in love, even not realizing the consequences."

"Do you really think so?"

"I sure do."

"May I at least engage in a more appropriate farewell…to your life?"

Hodaka slowly found his body trying to leave the sofa.

"My life? Fang-Lin, if you're even thinking about wanting to kill me, you have another thing coming?"

"Why? If I kill you, perhaps I can save my country from suffering the same fate as your island."

"You don't even know what will come next! Maybe the rain won't stop!"

Fang-Lin gripped Hodaka's shoulders very tightly, bringing his face closer to his own.

"Then maybe I'll just have to find out for myself, won't I? Your existence has been nothing but a burden to almost everyone who's path you've crossed, Hodaka Morishima…why if your parents found out that you were an ame-otoko, they would have abandoned you the moment you were born."

Hodaka found the sudden urge to attack Fang-Lin and he did by grabbing the candle stick decoration off the nearby table and slamming it into Fang-Lin's forehead. He fell to the floor and Hodaka got out of the way, watching his upper body falling upon the sofa. Hodaka now had every means to contact Hina and amount a rescue, but had little time to do so, out of fear that Fang-Lin would wake up and attack him. He whipped out his phone and immediately texted her.

"HELP ME! UNDER ATTACK!" he typed rapidly.

He just stood there, waiting for an answer, when he felt the strong right hand of Fang-Lin slapping his right cheek and sending him to the floor, his phone sliding away from his grasp. At the moment the phone had completely halted, Hina made her reply.

"Coming over!"

Before Hodaka knew it, Fang-Lin was turning his face-first-fallen head over so that their eyes would meet each other. Hodaka couldn't see the Irish green eyes of Fang-Lin, but the darker ones of his father, and the beatings that he suffered at his hands had finally paid off, giving Hodaka the courage to fight back. He screamed for two seconds before Fang-Lin placed his right hand over his mouth, and his left hand formed a huge fist, which threw a right jab at Fang-Lin's right eye.

Meanwhile, while looking over some documents in his office, Mrs. Sue-Sing heard Hodaka's scream. She ran out into the parlor just in time to witness Hodaka trying to fight back at the drunken politician, but Fang-Lin was gaining the upper hand, both of his hands pinning Hodaka's arms down.

"Now what was it that we were discussing? Oh yes, how your parents would have killed you as soon as they knew about your abilities."

Then Fang-Lin felt something else. His secretary using the candlestick to bash the back of his head. His face turning into a mug of shock, he fell on top of Hodaka, who tried to wriggle free. Mrs. Sue-Sing helped wrangle Fang-Lin's body off of him and set him down on his back.

"I think it's about time the world saw the real Fang-Lin," she said to Hodaka. "And if I were you, I'd be getting out of here right now."

"That's exactly what I intend to do."

Hodaka rushed straight into the guest room as soon as he said this. He picked up his suitcase and retreated for the door. The last thing he did was sit down by the road, waiting for his beloved.

He didn't wait too long, though, for the taxi cab that was carrying Hina pulled up next to the entryway. Hodaka stood up and there was Hina in the backseat, looking worried. Seeing her, Hodaka ran over to her door, opened it up, threw the suitcase into the bottom of the seat next to her and threw his arms around her.

"Hina, you have no idea how relieved I am to see you!"

He entered the car and shut the door behind him.

"Back to the hotel please," Hina instructed the driver. "I came for my visitor."

"Right."

As they drove back to the motel where Hina, Nagi and Sora were staying at, she and Hodaka spoke quietly in the back.

"How much did you miss me?"

"For about the whole time I was there. But let's not discuss it now. Let's wait until we get back to where you're staying. It about time I got myself acquainted with my son."

Hina smiled. He had finally accepted Sora at last.

* * *

The Holiday Seaview Inn was quite nice, both inside and out. It was lit by red colored lanterns and the rooms were small but comfortable. Hina brought Hodaka to their room where Nagi was watching Sora sleeping in his bed. Quietly, they walked over to them, joining Nagi on bended knee.

Perhaps it was their presence that Sora woke up.

"Mama!" he squealed.

"And Papa too!" added Hodaka. "Your father is home at last."

He took Sora from the bed and hugged him, kissing his forehead as well.

Nagi smiled at this, choosing to say nothing. His promise was being fulfilled.

After Sora went back to sleep, followed by Nagi who was sharing the bed with him. Hodaka and Hina had a chance to speak amongst themselves.

"What are we gonna do Hina? About us? And Sora."

Hina thought about it, but she didn't take too long.

"I think the best course of action is we get married. All we have to do, is go back to your island and ask your parents for their blessing."

"And after they find out that I impregnated you, they'll probably forbid it."

"Not unless you make them understand, Hodaka. All you have to do is give them a good talking to and tell your parents to let you speak before they pass judgement."

Hearing this, Hodaka felt relieved and satisfied.

"Maybe I can try this again."

He took out the ring, which he had always kept on his person, presenting it to Hina, who took out her right hand and he carefully slipped it onto her finger. She looked at it the same way she did when she woke up on the top of that cloud four to five years ago, but this time, her feelings were relieved.

Hina caught his chin in her hand, turned and held his face in the uneven garish light from the window. Suddenly she kissed him, then she put her arms around him and held him to her. "It happened again," she said. "My darling, hot-tempered, pigheaded, wonderful, infuriating Hodaka, do you realize we've been through this before? Missed signals, missed chances, misunderstandings that need never have happened. We've got to stop it. I'm getting tired of all this drama."

She buried her lips and her laughter in his messy hair. Hodaka closed his eyes and rested against her chest. Safe in the room, safe in Hina's embrace, she could afford his fatigue and relief. Luxurious weak tears of exhaustion ran down his cheeks, and his shoulders slumped. Hina held him close and stroked his back.

After a long time, her arms tightened with demand, and Hodaka felt new, thrilling energy race through her veins. He lifted his face to hers, and there was neither rest nor safety in the blinding ecstasy he felt when their lips met. His fingers combed her thick hair, grabbed, held her head down and her mouth on his until he felt faint and at the same time strong and fully alive. Only the fear of waking Sora and Nagi kept the wild cry of joy from bursting out of his throat.

When their kisses grew too urgent, Hina broke away. He gripped the stone sill of the window with corded, white-knuckled hands. His breathing was ragged. "There are limits to a woman's control, Hina," he said, "and the one thing I can think of that's more uncomfortable than a wet beach is a stone floor."

"Is that so?" Hina chuckled.

"Tell me you love me," Hodaka demanded.

Hina grinned. "What makes you think that? I came here to Beijing because I thought you were in trouble."

He laughed. Then he hit her on the shoulder with both fists. "Tell me you love me."

Hina trapped his wrists in a circle of her fingers. "I love you, you silly childish dreamer." Her expression hardened. "And I'll kill that bastard Fang-Lin if he tries to take you from me."

"Oh, Hina, don't be silly. I don't even like Fang-Lin. He's a horrible, cold-blooded monster who reminded me too much of my dad. I was only going to live with him because I wanted to be someplace more down to earth instead of the religious territory of Chang-min and the people at the temple." Hina's skeptical raised eyebrows forced Hodaka to continue. "Well, I did sort of like the idea of Beijing… and being an apprentice politician or however you want to call it… and spending a good time with him and some of his other friends when he was a good mood."

Hina's blue eyes glinted with amusement. She kissed Hodaka's imprisoned hands. "I've missed you," she said.


	14. A Happy Wedding

Hodaka, Hina, Nagi and Sora took a plane back to Tokyo and went straight to the docks where they took the next ferry back to Kozushima. The ride was silent and tense, with neither of them speaking a single word for a long time. Hodaka could tell that the ferries that ran to and from his island were starting to see better days. The aisles became a filthy debris trap before twenty miles were done. A drunk lurched unevenly past their cabin and he suddenly found himself against his personal space when he went out to get a drink. _Why, anybody at all could move into my cabin without realizing it! We do things an awful lot better in Tokyo. First Class means what it says. Nobody intrudes on you in your own little cabin._

Deciding to take a stroll outside, Hodaka opened the umbrella as a shield. His raincoat was already rumpled and water-logged. Within the next ten minutes, he saw the familiar shape of Kozushima in the distance.

But for the second time in his life, Hodaka was now seeing the place of his birth in a friendly, positive light. He hadn't felt this way since he came back here, after his adventure to Tokyo.

The hubbub at the docks and the shouting daredevil drivers in the maelstrom on the Kozu-hondo made Hodaka's heart race with excitement, and he forgot how boring and provincial his island home was. It was almost the same as he left it, with only a few small changes. There were buildings he'd never seen before, new names above old storefronts, noise and hurry and push. Funnily enough, his bike was still there, just where he left it. No one had even bothered to touch it, and Hodaka decided to come back for it later.

He looked eagerly out the window of the taxi at the houses in Kajiyama, identifying the owners to Hina and Nagi, noting the signs of better times for them. The Makotos had a new roof, the Shimouras a new color paint. Things weren't nearly as shabby as they'd been when he left a year and a half back.

And there was his house! _Why it's hardly changed at all! Was it always so close to the street? For pity's sake, I'm just being silly. What difference does it make? I've already decided not to live here anymore._

"This is your house?" asked Nagi when they got out of the taxi.

"Yes, it is," replied Hodaka in a quiet voice.

The outline of the house and it's details were looming above him making him feel small and helpless as they walked up the path. To Hodaka, it felt like ages before they finally reached the front door. He sighed before taking a second glance at his two friends. Hina was on his left, Nagi, carrying Sora, stood on his right. The two that changed his life for the better had given all the courage that he need to walk up to the door and ring the bell.

"I'm coming!"

Hodaka recognized his mother's voice immediately. She hurried from the sitting room toward the door, expecting her friend Nagisa, who she was planning to go to the movies with, but her smile fell when she saw Hodaka.

"Well," she said in a tone that was less-than-sympathetic. "It's about time you got back."

She noticed Nagi and Hina outside the door.

"And who are they? Friends of yours?"

"More than friends," Hodaka said in a civil tone. "That girl is your future daughter-in-law. The boy next to her will soon be the uncle of your grandchild."

"Grandchild?" Etsuko looked confused, as though her son had committed an immoral, unforgiveable act.

"Yes, Okasan. Hina and I are going to be married and we're here to ask you for your blessing."

Within the next five to ten minutes, Hina, Nagi and Sora were introduced to Hodaka's father, who was in a tizzy when Hodaka explained everything.

"Marriage? At this age?"

_He's looking at me as if I just committed adultery,_ Hodaka thought, sitting on the sofa in the sitting room.

"Yes. You've always wanted a grandchild, didn't you? And you, Okasan, didn't you ever want me to be married to the right woman?"

"I suppose so," said Etsuko, sitting next to Hina and Nagi who was still carrying her grandson. "But you should have done these things more properly."

"Love can make you do crazy things. And after we get married, we'll start a whole new slate. I'll be a better father to Sora than what you have been."

"Better than what I've been?" Shuji got up from his sofa pacing back and forth in a frantic way. "I've raised you right! Sure I may have hit you a couple of times, but that was all for discipline! And I did my damned best to discipline you well! But to go and impregnate this poor girl out of love?! I don't know what to say anymore other than that you have gone too far, Hodaka."

Hodaka stood up from his seat, not at all bothered by his past or his father's harsh tone, any longer.

"Otousan, it was unexpected. I didn't even know about Sora until after Hina gave birth to him. But there's something else that _you_ should know. I know why you abused me. I know why you wanted me to be the perfect son. You were trying be better than your brothers and their families and I know this because Uncle Saburo and Uncle Shuichi told me so."

Shuji stopped pacing at the mention of his brother's names and walked up to Hodaka, his mouth hallway open.

"Saburo and Shuichi? You visited them?"

"Yes, during Ojiisan Okazaki's birthday week. They told me that you were having some type of middle-child syndrome and all that studying and all those years of trying to be the perfect father went to your head. If you were more open-minded, you would know that children have to free to live their own lives. Besides, I'll be turning twenty in March, so you might as well let me make my own choice for once."

The words stroke a sympathetic chord into Shuji, who stared at his son, now grown-up and preferring to start his own life and the next sentence that came out of Shuji's voice was clear that he was teetering on the threshold of saying "yes".

"In spite of your own intentions, do you plan to stay with us after you and Hina-sama are married…at least for a little while?"

"Not even for a single day, Otousan," Hodaka shook his head. "I've already relinquished my assets and my ties here. My home is either in Tokyo, or somewhere else. After all, home is where the heart is. I'm sure you remember that when I told you I was going to the university in Tokyo."

"I hardly remember that all," said Shuji, looking away from his son for a bit. "But if you want to do this, we'll have the best wedding this island has ever seen."

Hodaka smiled and gave his father a quick hug.

* * *

It took much longer than Hina expected for Hodaka to make the arraignments. The wedding was to take place on March 10th, his 20th birthday. Invitations were sent out to the Sugas, Uncle Tombo, Aunt Paka, the Morishimas, several of Hodaka's former classmates and neighbors and even the Bisin cult. Hodaka personally selected Chang-min to perform the ceremony while Nagi was to be the man of honor and Aito was selected as the groomsmen. Moka would be the flower girl and Natsumi would be the bridesmaid. Shuji even used some of his money to hire best caterers on the island to make a five-layer cake of chocolate dipped entirely in snow white frosting, and a couple of lotus decorations added on to it. During that time, Hina and Nagi bunked with Hodaka in his old room. Shuji considered it bad form to sleep with one's fiancée before their wedding day, but it didn't really matter to the both of them since they had already gone and did the deed. The time of the ceremony on the 10th was set for eleven o'clock, while the reception was at twelve.

While the wedding preparations were underway, Fang-Lin was put on trial for his past offenses, but his assault on Hodaka barely filled a column of the online articles except for an exclusive interview with Mrs. Sue-Sing. Even some of Fang-Lin's friends were appalled by his actions. But Hodaka was too busy thinking about his future with Hina to even care.

As they slept on the night before the wedding, which was to be held on the spot of the Monoimina no Mikoto Shrine, Hina held Hodaka, wrapping her arms around his neck. The gentle rain made a curtain of soft silence around the bedroom.

"Are you nervous?" she asked, expecting an answer.

But Hodaka didn't even mumble.

"I thought so."

And she went to sleep.

* * *

At sunrise, Hodaka stirred and woke. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Hina's peaceful face, and he smiled contentedly. Then he stretched, moaning softly.

"Good morning, Hina."

"Morning," murmured Hina. "Today's the day isn't it?"

They walked carefully to Nagi's sleeping bag, and the basket bed carrying Sora. They could hear his soft morning.

"Later today," said Hodaka. "This child will be legally ours."

As is per custom of many weddings, Hodaka and Hina spent most of the day in separate rooms, getting ready for the ceremony. Nagi was trying his best to make a perfect necktie before Hodaka helped him with it. Even Sora was dressed in a little suit with a black mini-tie.

They took two separate cars over to the shrine, each one carrying a different party of family. The Sugas and Nagi rode with Hina, while Hodaka rode with his own family as well as Uncle Tombo and Aunt Paka, who admitted that Ojiisan Okazaki was too bedridden to accompany them. Hodaka couldn't have cared less, he was more interested in a proper union with Hina than any of his own guests.

At the shrine, everyone took their seats; Morishimas on the right, the Sugas and some of Hina's college friends on the left. The seats were shelter by the trees and a pair of canopy tents, with some of the guests fretting over getting wet. Chang-min walked down the aisle, followed by Nagi, carrying Sora for as much as he could muster, Aito who was looking smart in his grey suit and Natsumi who was decked out in a beautiful lavender dress with purple roses on each end of her shoulders. Suga, who was doing his best to keep Moka and Ame from squirming, kept his composure with a big goofy grin while his own in-laws watched the wedding respectfully.

Usual customs, from both western and eastern customs saw to it that Hodaka went first, while Hina walked down the aisle all by herself, carrying a bouquet of lilies in both hands. To Hodaka, she looked like a traditional beauty, in a traditional white dress with a large Tsunokakushi covering most of her hair. He himself was dressed in the traditional wedding attire with a black kimono and a grey hakama. His eyes remained locked with Hina's until the two of them kneeled in front of Chang-min under the temple roof.

The others found it controversial to see a Korean priest performing a traditional ceremony, but the Morishimas on Saburo and Shuichi's side knew better. Shuichi sat next to Shuji, who greeted him professionally. There was little time for a social chat, however, as Chang-min's voice carried over the congregators at a volume loud enough to keep them quiet.

"We make this marriage vow respectfully before the Hachiman deity. We, Hodaka Morishima and Hina Amano are delighted to be able to make our vows on this great day, and to become husband and wife through the blessing of the Hachiman deity. We swear before the Hachiman deity to love and respect each other forever, and to strive to bring our family prosperity. Moreover, we swear never to veer from the true path of matrimony, and to work to share the divine grace of Hachiman deity by helping people and society."

The words were blocked mentally from Hodaka and Hina's ears, too exited over the fact that they were getting married to even listen, but listened they did when Chang-min instructed the couple with the vows that they were about to bestow…and would seal their destinies together. As practiced, Hodaka spoke first.

"This woman, I marry. No matter what the health situation is I will love this person. Respect this person. Console this person. Help this person. Until death. Protecting fidelity. I swear."

Hina repeated the same.

Chang-min went to Hodaka first. His history of performing both Korean and Japanese weddings was finally paying off.

"Hodaka Morishima. You this woman marry and become her partner. Will you in peaceful times, during sickness, this person love, this person respect, this person comfort, this person help, until death, do you promise to fulfil?"

Hodaka nodded excitedly.

"Yes, I promise."

"Hina Amano you this man marry and become his partner. Will you in peaceful times, during sickness, this person love, this person respect, this person comfort, this person help, until death, do you promise to fulfil?"

"Yes, I promise."

The two of them beamed. Hodaka slipped the ring he had been saving for so long onto Hina's ring finger and she did the same with a gold one. It had nothing else on it, but Hodaka was still happy with it.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Hodaka and Hina faced each other, their heads slowly closed in…and at the moment their lips made contact, the sun came out at last.

The balance of weather had been restored.


	15. Epilogue

Today seemed like a good day to walk along the Great Wall of China for a honeymoon afternoon. Hodaka, Hina and Sora strolled merrily along the slightly twisting path under the clearest sky they had ever seen, under a sun that they had never felt in years.

"I say we've been awfully nice to each other this past week," reminisced Hodaka. "Wouldn't you say so?"

"I agree," nodded Hina. "In fact, it's a downright pleasure to agree. You've changed, Hodaka."

"You think so?"

"Yes. For good this time. Now that we've grown up lot, it almost feels like we have to know each other all over again."

"I just hope it isn't an unpleasant experience," Hodaka chuckled before going serious. "But I will do better this time. I promise."

They had reached the middle of the wall when another thought crossed Hodaka's mind.

"Now it looks like we've just got one problem left. One concerning geography. You in Tokyo, me in Korea. What can we do?"

Hina thought about it for a minute.

"I say we make a compromise."

"I hope it's a good one. Generally, compromises tend to be something favoring them."

"Not this time. I'll give up Tokyo if you give up Korea."

"For where else?"

"As long as there is one sky, Hodaka, we belong to the world. We can go anywhere and do as we please. As long as we're together, the world will belong to us."

Hodaka blushed. "That does sound like a lot of property. But since we both have the power to control the weather; the world is our painting."

"And I love you both," said Sora last of all.

Up they walked all the way to the end of the wall. No matter where they went or what they did, they would always be together.

Everything would be all right.


End file.
